When I dance around you
by Dark Seraphim
Summary: Baralai is determined to make an ally out of Isaaru despite their rocky past. GippalxBaralai BaralaixIsaaru
1. The Weaver

Rating: G-R  
Game: FFX-2  
Pairing: Baralai/Gippal, Baralai/Isaaru  
Notes: I'm one of the few people in the world who actively see Baralai/Isaaru as a pairing. However, I know for certain that it will long and drawn out because they are very much alike, 'one thing at a time'. At first, I thought of having the two meet for the first time after game and they're friendly, but awkward, etc. Then I theorized that the two had met previously and well, I think Baralai DID care about Isaaru, but was very cold for reasons we all know and he saw Isaaru as a threat. I think Isaaru was both attracted to and repelled by Baralai. In this story, Isaaru's feelings have not changed, but Baralai is willing to do what he must to make an ally out of Isaaru.

This chapter(The Weaver)simply deals with Isaaru and Maroda talking about what is going on around them.  
  
  
  
  
Isaaru weaved together the fabric of New Yevon as if he had been doing it for years. What he said, went and no one resisted. He didn't have to put up with the "you're not Baralai, so I don't have to listen to you" claptrap which was one of the main reasons why New Yevon fell apart to begin with. The former Summoner didn't give a good goddamn why people did as he said, he just cared that they did. Not that everything in New Yevon suddenly became an example of perfection, it obviously wasn't. People still worried about Baralai and it often showed. Isaaru couldn't blame them and he made certain that his own feelings on the whole matter remained secret.

Under the temple, Isaaru just stared at the huge hole under his feet. He couldn't even gape. It wasn't as though he had never been in this area before, it was that what was once a huge reason why he left Yevon to became a tour guide in Zanarkand was now gone. The former Summoner couldn't begin to imagine why it happened and while he felt as though a great weight lifted off of his shoulders, he also felt like vanishing. He looked around at the pyrefilies, watching the fiends watch him. He held his wrist that was adorned with a charm bracelet that kept the fiends away.

/So Vegnagun is gone/. He thought wanting to dash his brains against the metal floor for even thinking of something so blatently clear. /Obviously Baralai had something to do with this, but it's not just him. It's everyone, including Yuna and her friends/. He took a step back, knowing that if he didn't, he might have been tempted to jump in just to see what was going on.

"It would not surprise me, Baralai, if you took that thing and sought to rule the world with it," Isaaru whispered, narrowing his blue eyes. /But, how can I prove that? It's not as if you'd admit it to anyone/. Sighing, he ran his hands through his auburn hair, making certain that the part of him that actually worried about the young Praetor remain suppressed.

"Isaaru."

Isaaru would have jumped out of his skin if he didn't know that it was only Maroda, but knowing right away that it was his younger brother, he slowly turned around.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, everything is fine. I was just looking for you."

"Did you need anything, Maroda?" Isaaru asked, walking away from the hole, his booted feet echoing against the floor.

"Just you. I was just wondering what you were doing here." Maroda replied, shrugging.

"I see," Isaaru whispered. He stood beside his brother and together, they looked at the pyreflies meandering around and out of the hole. Neither of them feared any of the fiends and not because of the charm bracelets either. "There's something you want though, what is it?"

"Why did you come down here? Wasn't Vegnagun here?"

Upon mentioning Vegnagun, Isaaru almost jumped, but then sighed when he realized that his younger brother was just close enough to the Meyven Nooj of the Youth League to at least have an idea of what the giant Machina was. 

"Yes, it was here," Isaaru finally answered. "Someone obviously took it to the depths of Spira. Whoever has it either wants to rule this world or destroy it."

"How do you know that?" Maroda asked, his dark eyes widened.

"It's obvious. Vegnagun did not just decide to walk off and go on vacation. The three leaders clearly have a connection with it. I know for certain that Baralai does."

"He's a good person, Isaaru."

"Ah yes, Maroda," Isaaru looked at his darker brother. "He's such a good person that you joined the Youth League and I worked with Cid." He shook his head. "Oh yes, it takes a great leader to be able to drive away a well-respected summoner and his equally respected little brothers. Impressive."

"I didn't leave because of him," Maroda snapped. "I left because I agreed more with the Youth League!"

"And you're here to spy on New Yevon," Isaaru said simply, looking down, not believing that he said that, but he knew he did and couldn't take it back.

"No, brother, I came here to help put New Yevon back together. I came here to be with you and Pacce. I put my family first, you know that!"

Isaaru closed his eyes. Yes, he did know. "Forgive me, Maroda. It never occurred to me that we can still be close and yet believe differently." He opened his eyes and smiled weakly.

"I believe that all three groups can work together if they really wanted to," Maroda replied, patting Isaaru's shoulder.

/Oh, really? Naive as always...some things never change/. "All I want is to make certain that New Yevon does not fall apart. Someone on this world has to believe in 'slowly but surely'."

"'Or one thing at a time'," Maroda grinned. "But, I don't buy that. That doesn't mean that we all have to hate each other. We should never have been fighting to begin with."

"Regretting accomplished nothing," Isaaru said quietly. "I know that I am not the wisest person on Spira, but even I know that there will always be some sort of strife. Even in New Yevon, I have no doubt that some sort of line will be drawn."

"But, that's up to you, Isaaru," Maroda shook his head. "I honestly believe that when Baralai gets back, it will all be up to you. He cares for you, you have to know that." When Maroda patted Isaaru on the arm again, he shrank back.

/Oh, please. He only cares about himself and having control. No...that's not--no/. "I-I think you flatter me if you think that it will be up to me..."

"I mean what I say, Isaaru. You've always undermined yourself, but now you have to realize that you're far greater than you think." Maroda insisted. "There's a reason why everyone looks up to you here."

"There is also a reason why Baralai is the youngest Praetor ever and the only Praetor that was neither a summoner or a full Priest." Isaaru retorted, pressing his lips together. 

"That doesn't mean you don't have your assets," Maroda said.

Isaaru laughed, "Funny you should mention that now."

"I still believe what I said at the Gagazet Springs."

"Of course," Isaaru nodded. "But, I'll sooner fall into that hole before Baralai decides what my assets are." Before Maroda could respond, the former summoner walked away.

"Hey, wait up!" Maroda called, finally catching up to his elder brother. "I forgot to tell you that you're going to be dealing with Baralai very soon."

"How soon?" Isaaru asked, stopping so abruptly that Maroda almost tripped trying to stay by his side. 

"Very. The three are in Luca now. They're going to be giving their speech in less than an hour," Maroda answered, now leading the way to the exit. "Let's hurry. I think it's important to see what they have to say." 

"Even I can't deny that," Isaaru whispered, following Maroda's lead and secretly both eager and nervous about seeing Baralai once more.

  
  
  
  
  



	2. The Cynic

Notes: Bla bla bla. Gossip. This chapter is basically how Isaaru reacts to the speech and Zetu's revelations about Baralai and Gippal. It also reflects the closeness of the two brothers(and NO Isaaru/Maroda are not a yaoi pairing to me. Eeesh). 

Isaaru didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He'd do both, but he was being watched by his brother Maroda and fellow former summoner Zetu, Baralai's only trusted Consul, was with him. So, instead Isaaru sat on his bed with his hands on his chin. He still felt uneasy about the use of sphere screens to view the speech, but he didn't have much of a choice and neither did those who couldn't make it to the Luca Stadium. 

As for now though, he was glad that he didn't have to see the three leaders live, because if he did, it would have taken every ounce of willpower he had to not laugh in their faces. It wasn't that the speech was bad, some of parts actually had him nodding in agreement or genuinely touched, it was just the metaphors. Ships? Being captains of ships? Spira being one big ship? Isaaru had to hold his hands to his mouth when he heard that. But, what made him most tempted to laugh was the clear implication that everyone would be living peacefully and working together for a better Spira forever. Had that speech been given when he was a child, Isaaru would believed it. But, now? No way. Of course, they thanked Yuna and the Gullwings and the 'farewell, but not good-bye' part made him smile.

"You don't seem optimistic, Isaaru," Zetu noted, standing in front of him. "Is there something wrong?"

"Do you honestly believe what the three were saying?"

"For the most part, yes," Zetu replied. "However, some people will say anything to get into the good graces of those they seek to lead."

"No way! I think they were totally sincere!" Maroda interjected. "I can't believe you two! They want everyone to get along and work together! What's wrong with that?"

"Don't misunderstand me, Maroda," Zetu held up a hand. "I see no deception in the three at all. Naivte`? Yes, but they are young and I believe they are sincere.

"Baralai is indeed young," Isaaru said quietly. "But, I don't believe for a single moment that he believed everything he said."

Zetu narrowed his eyes, "Then you have to ask him when he returns."

"You better believe I will do so, but it would turn into a very complicated dance," Isaaru grinned. "Please forgive me, Zetu, I know he is your friend, but I believe I will have difficulty with him". /As I have in the past/.

"Don't be like that brother!" Maroda said, slapping Isaaru's arm. "You should cooperate."

"Oh," Isaaru sighed. "I'm not stupid, Maroda. I just know that Baralai will not be easy for me to deal with."

"That would depend on how you treat him," Zetu replied, folding his arms in his blue robes. "You must not forgot that he is the Praetor."

/By means both fair and foul, I know/. Isaaru thought, looking down, trying to block out how Baralai saved both his life and the lives of his two younger brothers and then remembering how the younger man tried to use the former Summoner as he was used by Old Yevon. "I haven't forgotten, believe me. It's not as if I am entirely innocent." /Baralai is far from innocent. Now if I can just forget the way he would look at me.../. 

"You got that right," Maroda laughed.

"Oh, shut up," Isaaru groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Did you catch Gippal grabbing Baralai by the hand and running off the stage?" Maroda suddenly asked, drawing a chuckle from Zetu. Isaaru though, sat straight up.

"Did he now?"

"Yes, he did," Zetu replied. "What of it?"

"Yes, what of it, Maroda?" Isaaru looked at his dark-skinned younger brother with keen interest.

"I just thought it was really bold. The way they were holding hands. You'd think they were in love."

Zetu chuckled, while Isaaru leaned back against his hands.

"That's because they are," Zetu said simply.

"He told you that?" Isaaru asked with widened eyes, suddenly feeling jealous and he couldn't explain why.

"Not so much in words, but I had a feeling that something was there whenever the Machine Faction was mentioned," Zetu answered.

"Is that how Gippal got Djose?" Maroda suddenly inquired, causing Isaaru to roll his blue eyes again.

"No, Moronda!" Isaaru snapped. "Gippal attained Djose Temple because Trema allowed it."

"Baralai was not the Praetor at the time," Zetu calmly answered, pressing his lips together so he wouldn't laugh. "But, he did have something to do with it." He fell silent. Isaaru knew that there was more to it than that, but also knew that Maroda didn't need to know about it.

"What do you mean?" Maroda prodded.

"You don't need to know," Isaaru finally said, glaring at his younger brother.

Maroda shrugged, "Well, I was just asking."

"Anyway," Zetu continued, "Everytime Gippal was even remotely mentioned, Baralai had a look in his eyes. Sometimes it was pure anger and sometimes it was joy. Either way, they were often mixed with longing, but I had a feeling that they were not looks a mere comrade would have. I know this because sometimes the New Yevon girls would speak of Gippal and trade fantasies about marriage and Baralai would be angry when he heard them. He was always polite when he encountered the girls, but the look in his eyes would often scare them into silence."

"Not the conduct of a friend," Isaaru commented, wondering if Baralai was possessive. /As if I should care/. 

"Whatever," Maroda shook his head. "I was just wondering about those two."

"Well, now you know." Isaaru smiled. He looked at Zetu. "When will he be back?"

"In a couple of days," Zetu answered.

"I wish I could be there," Maroda suddenly said to no one in particular. "They must be having a huge party in Luca right about now."

"So what?" Isaaru looked over at Maroda as though he had grown a second head. "I don't care about any sort of party."

"The people of Spira have reason to celebrate," Zetu shrugged. "I, for one, am glad that the three factions will learn to get along enough to unite Spira. I can see my son again in the Youth League." He glanced at Maroda. "It's also why you're able to be here."

"Yea," Maroda agreed, putting his arm around Isaaru's shoulder. "You couldn't have done anything without me, right?"

"Yea, right," Isaaru helplessly chuckled. "I'm merely glad that we are united. It's the only unity I care about." When Maroda hugged him, he returned the embrace.

Zetu sighed, "Even when I see my child again, I know that our unity will not be the only one I care about."

"I can understand that, Zetu. Especially since you were so close to Zanarkand as a Summoner yourself," Isaaru replied, also sighing. Zetu waved that away.

"No need to speak of that now. I think it's more important to realize that New Yevon itself must stay united." Zetu intently looked at Isaaru, who looked down.

"I can't help but be aware of that," Isaaru closed his eyes, absorbing the warmth of his younger brother. "I just would like to know what will happen to me."

"I think that's up to you, brother," Maroda responded, tightening his embrace. 

"Perhaps," Isaaru whispered, he looked up at Zetu, who looked serenely at them. "Zetu, does Baralai know what I have done here?"

"I honestly don't know," Zetu answered. "No doubt, he will find out soon enough."

  
  
  



	3. The Driver

Notes: Bla, Bla, Bla, there are no cars on Spira, but Baralai insisted and besides, I did have a plot like that anyway, so why not combine them? Anyway, this takes place just after the speech. 

As Baralai's golden brown eyes swept over the audience, he glanced up at the Celcius and felt as though he could fly up there and give Paine a huge hug. He smiled as the cheers of the crowd filled his ears. In his twenty years of life, he had never felt so light, so filled with the feeling that he could accomplish anything with anyone he wanted. So, when Gippal grabbed his hand, he looked at his best friend as his smile widened. He did not resist when the younger man dashed off the podium and even though he was behind Gippal, Baralai was able to keep up. The two of them weaved around the crowds easily and their quick pace did not relent even as they ran through the streets of Luca.

"Gippal, please, let's slow down," Baralai panted, tugging on the Al Bhed. His heart fluttered when he saw people looking at them. He suddenly felt the same queasiness he felt before he gave his part of the speech.

Gippal looked back and did as he was told, "You okay, Baralai?"

"Of course," Baralai answered, squeezing Gippal's hand. His dark eyes scanned an alley that was away from the large groups of people preparing for a city-wide party. "I would just like to go somewhere more private." He sighed in relief as Gippal spotted the same area.

"Let's go over there, then," Gippal led the way and once they arrived in the shadowed area, Baralai sat on a tall, thick barrel and wrapped his arms around Gippal's neck. He held him tightly, pressing his smooth cheek against Gippal's and felt his blood rush through his lean muscled body.

"I missed you," Baralai whispered in his friend's ear. "It's been far too long-"

"Shhh...I know," Gippal interrupted, running his hands down Baralai's back before returning the embrace. "I know."

"Did you miss me?" Baralai asked, looking past Gippal and up at the sky, where the Celcius was still flying over Luca.

The Al Bhed pressed his lips against Baralai's ear, "Of course I missed you." 

When he felt Gippal's breath glide over his platinum hair, the young Praetor quivered against Gippal's body. He should have felt even more joy, but he didn't because the Celcius was fading away against the deep blue sky. When Baralai saw that, he pressed his lips tightly together as a tear fell down his eye and slid down both his and Gippal's cheek.

"Baralai, what's wrong?" Gippal held the older man at arm's length. "We're together again. Why are you sad, eh?" He gently wiped the tear away.

"I'm sorry, my Gippal," Baralai gently replied, shaking his head. "I'll miss her." He sighed, "I mean when we saw the girls before the speech, I was watching Paine and she was watching me. She had a smile on her face and even though I tried to smile back, I was still a little angry because I didn't want her to leave me, to leave us."

"Oh, Baralai..."

"I know..." Baralai sighed again, chewing on his full, pouty lips. "It's just that when I saw the ship leaving, that's when I knew that it was all for real." He squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed on to Gippal. Baralai willed his remaining tears away, but his voice cracked when he spoke again. "I just wanted her to be with us..." He fell silent as he felt Gippal's gloved hands running up and down his back.

"It's not like we'll never see her again," the blond said in an almost chiding tone. "Lighten up, Baralai. You still have me." He cupped Baralai's chin in his hand, rubbing his thumb on the contour of his cheek.

Grunting quietly, Baralai leaned into Gippal's touch, looking into his one bright blue eye, "I love you." When Gippal smiled in response, Baralai leaned back, took a long, deep breath and bared his throat. 

"I love you too," Gippal whispered, his lips brushing past Baralai's collar.

Baralai tensed as he felt Gippal nibble on his neck and then twitched every time his best friend's lips moved. He grabbed the back of Gippal's purple shirt as the younger man pulled away, his face less than an inch away from Baralai's. Their breathing intertwined as they gazed into each other's eyes, their noses almost touching. Baralai pulled away slightly to put his fingers on Gippal's slightly chapped lips.

"I remember the last time we kissed," Baralai said, his voice lower than even a whisper, but the Al Bhed nodded. "It was at Mi'hen. We were together sitting in front of the sunset." He sighed. "I barely noticed it because you were right next to me. I wanted to kiss you, but my heart was beating hard, just like it is now. I was afraid then, but I asked to kiss you because you always kissed me first. For once, I wanted to take charge." He shook his head. "When you let me, I just froze."

"But, you did kiss me eventually," Gippal replied, pressing his lips against Baralai's.

"Yes, I did." The Praetor rested his forehead against Gippal's. "Just like you just did. Softly, gently, but unlike me, you didn't have any fear, and your hands didn't tremble, and I didn't feel your heart pounding. It just calmly beat as it's doing right now. When I finally had the courage to take control, you suddenly took it from my and I simply let go all too easily as I often did with you." 

"Only when we were like this," Gippal corrected Baralai. He smirked as his fingers caressed the back of Baralai's neck.

Baralai helplessly trembled, "Yes, like this." His piercing golden brown eyes flickered up to Gippal's one blue eye. "But, not now. Now, when I kiss you, you follow me." He wrapped his arms around Gippal's neck. "Bear with me, please." He licked his pouting lips before gently pressing them against Gippal's. He started on the top, then on the bottom before finally penetrating   
his best friend's mouth. When he felt Gippal trying to push, Baralai pulled away, his eyebrows raised. Gippal grinned and bowed his head.

"Sorry," He said.

"Don't be," Baralai replied before pushing forward, his tongue slowly moving along against Gippal's. His hands were just as slow as he put them on the younger man's shoulders, kneading them. In response, Gippal squeezed Baralai's hips, making him grunt. When they finally pulled away, Baralai looked into his friends eyes once more before beaming, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Gippal kissed Baralai on the cheek before hugging him.

The young Praetor wished the entire world would just stand still right there and then, feeling nothing but Gippal's body against his. He wished it could have been like this for all of the two years, but was perfectly content to have it now as he knew that he would have no doubt have this for years to come. He breathed into Gippal's ear, squeezing his golden eyes shut, so his tears of joy wouldn't pour down his face. But, all that vanished when he heard laughing from a small crowed nearby. Baralai quickly pushed Gippal away.

"What's wrong?" Gippal asked, his one eye widened, his hands out to his sides.

"Look!" Baralai gasped, pointing at the crowd, but then he realized that the crowd wasn't even looking at them. His shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry...

Gippal chuckled, "No, don't be, Baralai." He cupped his hand on Baralai's chin. "Shall we continue."

Baralai narrowed his eyes and gently shoved Gippal away before jumping off the barrel, "No. I don't want to chance anyone watching us."

"You didn't complain before," Gippal grinned, wrapping his arms around Baralai's neck.

"I wasn't thinking before," Baralai replied, pulling away from Gippal and grabbing his hand. "Let's go, please."

The two young men walked the streets of Luca without any heed to the celebration around them. Baralai held Gippal's hand tightly and would be damned before he let him go. They smiled at each other, their interlocked hands swinging to the rhythm of their pace. If anyone noticed them, they simply smiled and commented 'great speech' or just ignored them to tend to getting plastered.

As they walked up the large stairs beyond the square, Baralai looked down and noticed Nooj being interviewed be Shelinda and he stopped. "Gippal..."

"What?" The blond Al Bhed looked back. "Oh, Nooj. He's just talking to her."

"About what, I wonder..." Baralai asked, his voice quivering with worry.

"Oh my god, Baralai, you can't be serious!" Gippal incredulously replied. Before Baralai could answer, Gippal pulled him up the second flight of stairs. 

"I'm sorry, Gippal," Baralai managed to keep up with Gippal, but tugged on his hand. "Please slow down."

"Baralai, you heard him. He's not going to cause you trouble anymore." Gippal reprimanded, not slowing down.

"But...but..." Baralai gasped, tugging harder. Finally, they stopped before the third flight that led to the Mi'hen Highroad. "Please, Gippal...I know what we all said...I know...it's just that, I wonder what he could be saying."

The Al Bhed shrugged, "Probably just the usual stupid questions like, 'how do you feel'? Baralai, it's all recorded and shown live all over the world. Do you think Nooj would badmouth either of us on Sphere Comms?"

Baralai shook his head, "Of course not. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be doubting him." Tugging on Gippal's hand, they climbed up the third stairway and when they reached the top, Baralai looked out at the sea that was painted in waves of gold from the sun. "Oh, beautiful..." What was even more beautiful to the young Praetor was that there was no one in this area as everyone had gone to the center of the city to celebrate the Eternal Calm.

"Yea, pretty," Gippal echoed, before suddenly gasping and pointing ahead.

Alarmed, Baralai followed Gippal's gaze, "What is it?" When he saw what it was, he too gasped. They quickly walked over to the sleek, topless silver colored machina, simply known among the Al Bhed as a car, since it was on the ground rather than just above it, like the common hovers. Baralai put his hands over his mouth. "Oh, Gippal, this is Rin's car."

Gippal nodded, running his hand over the passenger side door, "I taught you how to drive in this car two years ago."

"I remember," Baralai demurely smiled in his collar, "I enjoyed it. Are there any more of these?"

"Some, but they're still very rare because of the way Spira is," Gippal replied before grinning. "I was in the middle of getting one built before you summoned me to Bevelle."

Baralai winced, "Uhm, let's not talk about that now."

"Yea, really. I'd really like to finish it," Gippal put his arm around Baralai's shoulders. "That way, we can just go out driving together. Would you like that, Baralai?"

"With you?" Baralai giggled. "Of course." He peered at the steering wheel and stiffened, putting his hands over his mouth. "Oh my goodness, Gippal!"

"What?" Now it was Gippal's turn to follow Baralai's gaze and he too stiffened, but he didn't put his hands over his mouth. "That's not like Rin."

Baralai looked around, relieved that no one was nearby, "I guess he assumed that no one would try to take it."

"Who can blame him?" Gippal shrugged. "Hardly anyone here would know how to operate one."

"We would..." Baralai's smile widened.

Gippal laughed, "Yea..."

Baralai walked around to the front of the car, "Do you remember two years ago on the Winno, when Paine had said that she wanted to take an airship and fly it?"

"Yes, of course," Gippal's one eye followed Baralai. "You said you would try your hand at navigation."

Nodding, Baralai continued, "I never told anyone, not even you, that I always wanted to take one of these", he ran a tanned hand over the driver's side door, "and drive one". Grinning, he opened the door. "Come on, Gippal."

"No way!" Gippal gasped, his jaw nearly falling out of his mouth. "Baralai, you can't be serious."

"Of course I'm serious," Baralai replied as he slowly lowered himself into the driver's seat, almost glowing when he felt the soft and cushiony the leather seat under him. He looked at Gippal, who balked. "Get in, please."

Gippal hemmed and hawed for a few moments, but he finally fumbled at the door and sat beside Baralai, "Unless I'm missing something, it's been two years since you've driven anything."

But Baralai barely heard what his best friend was saying because he was too busy trying not to salivate while running his dark hands over the smooth steering wheel, the gear shift and the handbrake. Despite having been outside for quite awhile, everything in the vehicle felt nice and cool to the young Praetor. He honestly couldn't keep his smile off his face as he remembered how he had this same feeling two years ago when he was first learning.

"Uh, Baralai. Hello?" Gippal waved his hand in front of Baralai's face. When Baralai snapped out of his trance, giving Gippal a playful glare, the younger man added, "What about Rin?"

"Don't worry," Baralai replied, smirking, "I'll write him a letter if apology."

"Do you even remember how to drive?"

Baralai shifted the car out of neutral and turned the key. When the car started, he smiled at Gippal, "Mmm...hmmm..." Then, releasing the handbrake, he gunned the engine.

"BARALAI!!!!!!"

  
  
  



	4. Have some faith

  
  
As soon as Baralai heard Gippal scream, he laughed, putting one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the stick. He up shifted as much as he could on the Mi'iHen dirt road while calmly and deftly swerving around panicked stragglers and any hovers that came anywhere near him. On the outside, Baralai looked centered and serene as a smile was still on his face even as Gippal calmed down. But, on the inside, he could feel the adrenaline pump so much through him, his heart could have been torn in two. The Praetor surprised himself, actually, as he never thought this skill would come back to him so quickly after two years of not even being a passenger on a hover. Not that he minded, of course, because if Gippal were even suggest taking over, Baralai would have thrown him out and run him over. Baralai looked into the review mirror and sighed.

"Goodness, I hope I didn't harm anyone," He said, glancing furtively at Gippal.

"I don't think you did," Gippal replied. "But, you scared the shit out of me."

"Have some faith, dear Gippal." Baralai smirked. "You taught me, remember?"

"Anyway, you better slow down, Baralai," Gippal said, leaning back against the seat.

"Oh, now that's funny, coming from you," Baralai scoffed, his eyebrows shooting up. But, when Gippal pointed ahead, Baralai noted a Chocobo closing in, and he down shifted, swerving, so the Chocobo could easily get past him. "Oh my..." Baralai gasped. "I forgot about the Chocobos."

"At least you didn't try to ram it," Gippal said, his usual lightheartedness returning.

"Ugh, now why would I do that?" Baralai asked, rolling his eyes. 

"Of course, you do realize that people are going to find out about this, right?"

"Yes, I realize it," Baralai nodded, amused at how the fellow New Yevonites will respond to this. Not that this would ever stop him from driving again. He knew how those in Bevelle used machina when it suited them. Why should this be any different? "I'm not too concerned right now, but I guess when the papers say "Praetor of New Yevon steals a prominent merchant's Machina', I'll be concerned then. Right now, I just want to enjoy myself...with you." 

"I'm glad you feel that way."

"I do," Baralai simply said and then fell silent as he noticed that it was dusk. He let out a quiet, gasping breath as he watched the sky paint itself deep purple with a few golden sparkles scattered throughout. /Oh, it will be a wonderful night.../. He turned slightly towards Gippal and smiled. When he saw that his friend had been staring off into space, Baralai reached over and grabbed his hand. Gippal started out of whatever trance he was in and smiled back, squeezing Baralai's tan hand in response. Sighing quietly, Baralai looked at the road ahead of him, dark eyes occasionally flickering at the few bright and shining stars. /I could do this forever/. He turned on the headlights, titterting in amusement as a fiend dashed out of way, and leaned back against the seat. Again looking towards Gippal, the Praetor began to wonder if he should just leave his life behind, just stay with Gippal at Djose or wherever his best friend wanted to be. Away from the strain of being the youngest Praetor ever and the only one to have never been a Priest or a Summoner, away from the future worry of dealing with Meyven Nooj and away from dealing with politics.

"What are you thinking, Baralai?" Gippal asked, cutting off Baralai's thoughts.

"Oh, nothing," Baralai shook his head.

"Liar!"

Baralai smiled, "Okay, I was just tempted to resign as Praetor."

"Are you out of gourd?" Gippal sat straight up. "No way! Who would take over? New Yevon fell apart without you!"

"I know, but I heard that someone put it back together again while I was away."

"Do you know who?"

"No," Baralai shook his head. "I'd like to find out though."

"How are you going to do that if you resign?"

"Well," Baralai rolled his eyes, "We could visit Bevelle, find out who, and then I get to resign, leaving me free to be with you." He smiled sweetly at Gippal before drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Sure, Baralai, but that would also mean you'd be without power and who would stop Nooj then?" Gippal replied, poking Baralai at his side.

What was obviously a light-hearted joke only made Baralai's face fall, but he kept his smile, "Oh, touche..." /I didn't consider Nooj. If I were to retire, it would be exactly what he wants/.

"Heh, yea really. Once you get back to Bevelle, you'll be fine. Speaking of Nooj, unless you want to stop at Rin's place, we're going to have to go by that way."

Baralai down shifted to second, grabbed the handbrake and turned to the left towards the Agency, passing it as quickly as he could, "I'd rather not deal with Rin right now." When he released the handbrake, he was ready to shift as high as he dared, but when he realized just where they would end up, he opted to just remain in second, at least for a little while. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, stifling a yawn.

Gippal leaned towards Baralai, "I know the three of us are supposed to work together, but I'm no fool. Things won't be easy."

"I know," Baralai nodded.

"I'm just saying that I don't think Youth Leaguers at Mushroom Rock would be too appreciative seeing you drive across their turn, yanno?"

"Please, Gippal, if any of them want to cause me any trouble, I'll just run them over," Baralai giggled, but stifling another yawn. 

Grinning, Gippal shook his head, "You better let me drive."

"Okay," Baralai conceded, slowly pulling over to the side of the road. As they passed each other in front of the car, Baralai felt a sting on his rear when Gippal slapped him there. "Gippal!" The Al Bhed laughed as he jumped in the driver's seat, revving up the engine so much that any creature within earshot ran for dear life, except for Baralai, of course, who only rolled his eyes as he sat in the passenger's seat. 

"This is a great machina, and I hope to have many more like them made," Gippal said, gripping the gearstick and flooring it, forcing Baralai to nearly cram into the seat.

/At least I didn't scream/. Baralai thought, not really considering his silence much of a consolation.

"Am I scaring you, Baralai?" Gippal asked, licking his lips, driving so fast that Baralai could not even conceive of going such speeds on a dirt road in the early evening.

"Uhm, no."

Gippal grinned, "Payback's a bitch, don't you think? You didn't scare me either though, you just surprised me."

"Yea, sure, dear Gippal," Baralai yawned, but then jumped up at seeing a blur of a man on a Chocobo.

"What's wrong?" Gippal demanded, his hand on Baralai's. "You want me to slow down?"

"Yes, please," Baralai replied, and felt relieved when Gippal did so.

"So what's the matter? Did you see something?"

"I saw someone, on a Chocobo," Baralai looked in the passenger's mirror, narrowing his eyes, but unable to see the Chocobo rider. "I think it was Prophet."

"Who?"

"You don't know who he is?"

Gippal shrugged, "I've heard the name, but I don't recall who that is. I know Rin mentioned him though."

"He's an advocate for Chocobos," Baralai explained. "He was the one who fought having Machina on Mi'ihen as he feared it would render Chocobo useless. New Yevon tried to help, but as you can see," Baralai waved his hand, "we could not help."

"I heard the Gullwings did. That's why there's Chocobos back on the roads."

"Yes," Baralai nodded, resting his chin against his hand. "What worries me is that as much I would love to see more cars made, I fear that the very existence of such Machina would make the Chocobos disappear."

"Don't worry about it," Gippal shook his head. seriously, don't. I'm sure there'll be people who will always prefer a Chocobo. Besides, there's always people wanting to feel nostalgic."

"Yes," Baralai smiled, moving over to lean against Gippal. "But, things like this are why New Yevon exists."

"Of course," Gippal replied, rubbing Baralai's thigh. "We're very close to Mushroom Rock Road, and after that, we'll be at Djose Temple. Why don't you rest? It won't take me long to get there."

Baralai moved away from Gippal, rubbing his eyes, "You'd best be careful."

Gippal grinned, "Don't worry, I will be. Have some faith."  



	5. I owe you nothing

Notes: This is the longest chapter so far. The flashback in the middle could have been some sort of prelude, but I decided to against it since I figured it would have worked better in this story rather than as a seperate fic. Anyway, enjoy!

  
  
"I remember something very profound during that speech," Isaaru commented, his arms folded across his chest as he looked thoughtfully beyond the balcony, at the bustling city below. He looked up at the darkening sky, at the stars beginning to appear, wondering where the young Praetor could be now.

"What? Gippal grabbing Baralai and running off the podium?" Maroda asked, chuckling.

"Uhm...no." Isaaru watched his brother with narrowed eyes, he grinned though, because he really couldn't help himself. "It was while Baralai and Nooj both admitted that they abused their powers. Nooj asked for forgiveness and he bowed with his friends. The crowd did not seem pleased."

"I must have missed that," Maroda said, shrugging. "It can't have been that big of a deal."

"Oh? Did you see Baralai's face when it happened?" When Maroda nodded, Isaaru continued, "I saw it too. The expression on his face lasted for two seconds, but those seconds showed a face of one who knows he is in a precarious situation."

"You mean of one who knows he's screwed?" Maroda frowned. "No, I don't think so."

"He recovered quite well, of course," Isaaru went on as he lowered his head, "and the crowd cheered once more."

"It doesn't mean what you think it does, Isaaru," Maroda replied. "The crowd was displeased because they didn't think it was necessary to apologize."

"Or maybe they were displeased at knowing that such abuses caused many problems for Spira..." Isaaru sighed, "It's not as if anyone is innocent. The people in New Yevon and in the Youth League relied far too much on their leaders. That is no strength."

"Yea, really," Maroda agreed, staring intently at his elder brother. "I just think that the people wanted more than just an apology and it looks like they got it, so they party on."

"Heh, of course," Isaaru looked up at the sky. "I just sometimes think that the world would be much better if the people were made of stars." /I wonder if Baralai is looking at the sky now. I bet he is. I bet he is holding hands with Gippal while smiling up at the same sky I am watching. He must be content. No, beyond content. He is happy, truly happy. Why couldn't he have been that way when I had worked with him previously/? Isaaru's thoughts, however, were interrupted by Maroda waving his hands in his face.

"Uhm, Isaaru?"

"What is it, Maroda?" Isaaru snapped.

"You just seemed to be staring off in space."

"That's because I was." 

"Were you thinking of Baralai?" Maroda asked.

Isaaru slumped forward, "Yes. It can't be helped." He looked up at his brother, feeling no doubt as he trusted both his younger brothers with his life. "Baralai and I have a history together."

"You were lovers?" Maroda frowned.

"What I am about to tell you will not be uttered to anyone else. Not to Nooj, not to Baralai's friends, and most definitely not to Baralai himself. Don't even tell Pacce, he's too young to understand anyway."

"You can trust me like you always have. What is it?"

"Baralai proposed marriage to me, twice."

"Twice?" Maroda stiffened, his mouth wide open. "What? You rejected him didn't you?"

"Twice," Isaaru nodded.

"Why?"

"As a member of the Youth League, you have no idea how politics works in Yevon. I do."

"It's supposed to be New Yevon, Isaaru."

"I know. But, some things don't change," Isaaru looked away, at the velvet sky. 

"You still haven't told me why you refused him," Maroda prodded.

Isaaru looked back at Maroda and sighed, "It's quite simple really. I'll be honest and this better not go past your lips. I was attracted to Baralai. I still am and I do like him, but at the same time, I was, and still am repulsed by him. He just seemed cold, distant, and hateful. Behind his sweet smile, I could see someone who would do whatever it took to get what he wanted, and I could see someone who would say nice things to you, and think the lowest of you."

"Ambivalent?" Maroda asked, "That's how you feel, right? Ambivalent."

Isaaru nodded, "Yes. It only intensified when he proposed to me in Zanarkand last year."

"So tell me what happened," Maroda prodded again, putting his hand on Isaaru's shoulder.

"I will."

  
  
For Isaaru, nothing was more perfect than the night sky, filled with bluish white pyreflies and stars, in Zanarkand. Nothing was more delightful than silence marred only by his own breathing and heartbeat. The tourists were gone, while Pacce and Cid were resting just outside of the once great city. In front of the dark lake that reflected the starlight, Isaaru stood seeing everything and yet nothing, for every thought he had drifted back to Bevelle. He tried to will those thoughts away, but he always failed as he wondered what would have happened had he simply yielded to young, brilliant Baralai. 

For Isaaru, it was enough that he did all he could to help, including putting the great Lady Yunalesca and her lover, Zeon, into Vio Infinito. But, for Baralai, it was nowhere near enough, and while it frightened the former Summoner, it also infuriated him beyond all measure of words. Isaaru shut his eyes, trying to wipe out Baralai from his mind, but could not, for the image of the young man would forever be etched in Isaaru's memories. So, the Summoner opened his eyes again, his hand outstretched to a pyrefly.

"What will happen to me now," he whispered. "Maroda is with the Youth League and Pacce is with me, but it does not answer my question..."

"I thought I'd find you here."

Isaaru stiffened; he knew that voice; that soft, polite, and incisive voice. /Baralai/. He slowly turned around and realized why he would never be able to forget Baralai. He had finely chiseled, delicate, and expressive features, but most of that expression showed in his eyes. When Baralai looked up at Isaaru, his piercing golden brown eyes seemed able to peer right into the elder man's soul. Isaaru could see the look of resolve and friendliness as Baralai's succulent lips curved with a smile. Whether his friendliness was sincere or not, Isaaru couldn't be sure, but he was certain of Baralai's tenacity as he never believed that the younger man would look for him after what happened in Bevelle. 

"I never thought you would bother to look for me," Isaaru said, unable to move as Baralai approached with cat like speed and grace, his booted feet making little sound on the ground. The Summoner wanted to back away, but couldn't as his back was to the lake. 

"You thought wrong," Baralai gently replied, folding his arms across his chest, the mandalas on the long sleeves of his forest green coat looking blood red in the semi-darkness. To Isaaru, he looked ready to pounce; he always seemed to, or maybe it was just the lean muscles that showed under all of Baralai's earth toned clothes. Isaaru honestly didn't know, but what he did know was that he was picturing himself slowly removing Baralai's elaborate outfit, his hands exploring the smooth, tan skin underneath, and he tried to suppress that.

"So, what do you want?" Isaaru asked, folding his arms into the sleeves of his blue and white robe.

"I am the Praetor of New Yevon now," Baralai simply answered, tilting his head, his golden eyes scanning Isaaru.

"Ah, so Trema is dead." 

"Yes."

Isaaru smiled a wicked smile, "Good. May I assume that you didn't broadcast this to the entire world?"

"Oh yes," Baralai whispered, his smile also wicked. "The official explanation is that he was asked to leave and he disappeared."

"And people believed that..."

"Mmm...hmm..." Baralai nodded, "How could anyone prove otherwise?"

"May I assume that he took the spheres with him?"

Baralai looked down, "It was the only way to lure him into Vio Infinito."

"I see..." Isaaru groaned. /That foolish old man. How can people learn from past mistakes if they never learn of the past/?

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't bother," Isaaru squinted at the sky. "He probably would have smelt a rat if you tried to take the spheres for yourself." He looked back down at Baralai, whose gaze still never wavered. "So, how did you manage to kill him? Trema was said to be a Grand Master of the martial arts."

Baralai chuckled, "He was." He relaxed a little, letting his arms fall to his side. "But, no martial arts in the world can stand up to a well placed bullet."

"Very good," Isaaru replied, very impressed with the whole thing. "One little detail though, what of Yuna? You lied to her by saying that you were the "Chairman's Son". It would not surprise me if you were to encounter her again. What will you say to her?"

"I will simply tell her that it wasn't me and that the Chairman's Son disappeared along with Trema."

"Oh," Isaaru scoffed. "And she'll believe you because...?"

Baralai stepped forward, the moonlight suddenly reflecting on his platinum hair. "She'll believe me because she would have no other choice."

"All it takes is one New Yevon member to slip up and reveal who really proposed to her."

Slender hands on hips, Baralai whispered, "If I may ask, is that, by any chance, a veiled threat?"

"No," Isaaru answered simply and honestly. "I just mean that if she were to ask someone in Bevelle, they would just say that Trema didn't have a son."

"Believe me, Isaaru, even if someone were to reveal that, and should she question me, I would simply mention that it was another member who lied about his actual position, and I simply played on it to humor him, to tell him what he wants to hear, even if it wasn't true. No one can prove that I was the one who proposed to her." He frowned at Isaaru, "That includes you, Isaaru. I am the Praetor now, who do you think she'll believe, hmmm?"

"I don't intend to mention any sort of marriage proposal to her. I have nothing to gain by it." Isaaru said quietly. "I just hope that you can cover yourself as well as you always have."

"To be honest with you, I hope I don't get questioned by her." Baralai grinned, "I suppose I have to rely on my luck, like I've done before."

Isaaru ran a hand through his auburn hair, "So tell me, Baralai, did you cover your tracks in Vio Infinito? Don't tell me you're relying on luck with that. Is it sealed?" 

"Oh, come now, Isaaru, I am not stupid. Of course I sealed it," Baralai said, huffing a little. 

"I figured you would have. So, why are you really here? I know you didn't come here just to let me know that I can have a taste of vengeance." 

"You've had your tastes of vengeance with all the Maesters gone, and I believe you've had enough," Baralai replied, his golden eyes narrowing. "But, we do need to talk. I should have gotten to the point a long time ago. I apologize."

/Oh, cut that out.../. "So, what is your point?"

Baralai looked around before responding, "If I may, you were foolish to reject me in Bevelle. We have made great allies before and would make great partners now. You should have chosen to marry me. You hurt me deeply when you refused."

/I should have known.../ "I hurt you?" Isaaru knew damned well he had to have, considering the vitriol he spat at Baralai just barely a month ago. It's not like he was sorry for doing it either or at least not very sorry. After all, why on Earth should he marry Baralai? Especially considering that the younger man asked Yuna first, and that was only to look good to the other members of New Yevon and secure Praetorhood had she accepted. Obviously, it wasn't necessary. Isaaru remembered the shock he felt when Baralai personally proposed to him. 

"Yes," Baralai replied, his eyes widening. "Or have you forgotten how you reacted?"

"I haven't forgotten," Isaaru replied, unable to keep his gaze on the Praetor. "I just had no idea that you had any feelings to hurt." He looked up when he heard Baralai audibly gasp.

"I have the same feelings you do," Baralai whispered, his voice harsh yet softer than a breeze, "and when you step on them, it tends to hurt."

"Were you hurt when Yuna rejected you?"

"That's different."

"Why? We are both well respected former Summoners. Marriage to either one of us would make you look good. I just can't help but think that even if I were cordial, you still would have been hurt. Seeing as Yuna's rejection didn't bother you, why would mine? I mean, other than the way I refused you."

For a moment, Baralai did nothing but quietly chuckle as he looked down on the ground, "With Yuna, rejection was expected, but it was something I knew I could deal with and come up with some back up plans."

"And I was a back up plan, wasn't I?"

Baralai sighed, "Look, the reason why Yuna was asked first was purely for political reasons. A marriage to her would help New Yevon. It didn't hurt to ask."

"It was unnecessary. Besides, she would never want to be used by anyone," Isaaru said, shaking his head, "and neither would I."

"I'm not trying to use you," Baralai replied, his hands out to his sides. They curled into fists. "I know that you have your supporters, and I have mine. With you gone, those who have supported you are now under me, but they are obviously reluctant. They just don't oppose me, thank Yevon. But, we have the same opposition, both in New Yevon and all over Spira. We need to unite, and what better way to unite than through marriage?"

It all made sense, Isaaru knew that, but there was a huge part of him that honestly believed that as soon as he yielded, he would be under young Baralai's dominance forever. It wasn't just that, but the simple concept of keeping your friends close and keep your enemies closer made him wonder. Isaaru was well aware that his supporters would end up siding with Baralai, they didn't have much of an alternative. Sure, Isaaru could go back, but he knew damned well that if he did that, his supporters would clamor for him to be Praetor, and the marriage wouldn't stop them. He looked into Baralai's pleading brown eyes and while they seemed to show sincerity, Isaaru knew Baralai long enough to know that he was damned good at creating masks for himself. But, Isaaru was able to do the same and he wore one now, one of calm and it masked someone who felt like fainting. 

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer..." Isaaru finally said, causing Baralai to frown.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come now, Baralai, do you really think I'm stupid?"

"You'd be stupid to refuse me!" Baralai snapped.

"Not quite," Isaaru folded his arms across his chest, "My supporters are indeed under your banner now. This I know, but should I return now, they'll want /me/ as Praetor instead." /Oh yes/. Isaaru thought when Baralai's eyes widened, then quickly narrowed. "You know this..." Baralai didn't answer. Instead, he balled up his fists while pursing his pouty lips. "I also know that I cannot and will not accept you as my husband."

The young Praetor gaped at Isaaru, his eyes wide as the moon above. He shook his head, trying to find words and couldn't. After he took a few deep breaths, he calmly demanded,

"What is wrong with you? Just tell me, please!"

"I can't trust you, that's what's wrong." Isaaru answered, inwardly feeling beaten for doing this, but it was how he honestly felt.

"You can't trust me?" Baralai repeated incredulously.

"No. I know why Trema told me to leave, and it wasn't just because I was nothing but a 'useless relic of the past.' You had a hand in it, I know you did," Isaaru spat, wishing he could forget what Trema said to him.

"Oh, I did have a hand in it," the young Praetor admitted, nodding with a glare. "When you tore me to pieces, did you think I wanted you around then? I couldn't work with you then and no matter how hard I tried to mask what I was feeling, it did not mask the obvious tension between us. It would have caused division in the New Yevon ranks and I just couldn't have that!"

"You also couldn't stand the fact that I bruised your ego and you wanted revenge," Isaaru hissed.

Baralai folded his hands in front of him, his fair face unreadable, "Perhaps I did, but as you can see, I'm willing to set aside all that." He took a step closer. "Come back with me, please."

Isaaru looked away, just nearly awestruck by the Praetor's relentlessles. It was almost like the first time Baralai proposed to him. At the time, he was certainly tempted to accept, and he definitely was now. But, as always, something held him back and that something was a very real fear of Baralai eventually betraying him. Even while they worked together, neither one of them revealed too much about each other, because it was obvious to Isaaru that there was no trust, and if there is no trust now, how can there be any hope for any sort of marriage to work?

"You trusted no one..." Isaaru suddenly whispered.

"I trusted you then and I trust you now!" Baralai whispered back.

"I do not trust you..." Isaaru said, nearly drained and wanting the young Praetor to just go away before he weakens completely.

"Isaaru--"

Isaaru sighed, stopping Baralai from continuing, "What can you possibly expect? How do I know that while on our wedding night, while we are removing each others clothes, while our lips trail each others bodies, while we are inside each other, that I won't find myself with a knife in my back as I come into you? I would be a rival removed from your path."

"Isaaru, that's nonsense!"

"Did you not make it clear that you never gave a damn about the old Priests?"

"You're no different!"

"I was among those old Priests! Perhaps not in age, but in belief! I know that once I get in your way or once you have no further use for me, you would dispose of me!" Isaaru felt tension rising in his body as he spoke those words and he saw it in Baralai.

"You know nothing...nothing..." Baralai's slowly answered, his voice low, yet loud enough to reach Isaaru's ears.

"Then tell me, Baralai, what good would marriage do? I will not be anyone's pawn!"

"I love you!" 

That statement, said with quiet intensity might as well have been a bullet. Isaaru put a hand to his chest, not believing what he was hearing. /That can't be.../. He couldn't breathe as he felt his chest tighten.

"I...don't...believe...you..." Isaaru finally managed, feeling very dizzy. He almost doubled over, but Baralai grabbed him and held him up. As Isaaru felt Baralai's slender but strong hands, he put his own hands on Baralai's arms, helplessly grasping the woven sleeves of the Praetor's forest green coat, feeling the lean muscled arms underneath. "I don't believe you..."

"Why is that so difficult to believe?" Baralai asked gently.

"Because I saw you with another on the day all of Spira sang the Hymn of the Fayth. He was an Al Bhed in purple and he had an eye patch."

"Gippal." Baralai nodded. "Yes, I was with him on that day. So what? He is my best friend and nothing more."

Isaaru tried to move away, but Baralai held him fast, "Do best friends kiss? Do they lie on top of each other while everyone else did their part to save Spira?"

"Isaaru, please--"

Now Isaaru tightened his grip on Baralai, quieting the younger man, "Are best friends lovers?"

For awhile, Baralai was silent as his eyes looked into Isaaru's as if searching for something. For once, it didn't make Isaaru feel as though his heart stopped. Finally, the younger man looked down, "It's not what you think."

"Oh, no, of course not!" Isaaru scoffed, as memories from his teen years began surfacing. He immedietly squelched them. "No, it's never what one thinks, even though it's painfully obvious!"

"Gippal and I can't be together as lovers. It was never feasible. We're close, but anything beyond friendship was simply casual."

"Oh please--"

"No! Isaaru, no!" Baralai snapped and before Isaaru could say anything, continued, "What Gippal and I share is entirely different from what I'd like between you and I. I want you with me!"

"I don't give a damn what you want," Isaaru hissed. Baralai glared, but Isaaru did not relent. "Of course you want me with you. You want to get inside me in every way you can. Know your enemy," When Baralai shook his head, Isaaru pressed on. "Keep an eye on them, so that you know what they do, what they think, and what they say. When the time comes, you will use all you have on me against me--"

"No..." 

"You cannot afford to keep me as an equal. You always thought you could do everything on your own and now is little different!" Baralai's shoulders slumped, which calmed Isaaru. "Just leave. Go back to Bevelle! Go back to lord power over everyone when you think of them as 'sheep', and know that you will never have me under your thumb!"

Baralai's eyes flashed as he looked up at the former Summoner, "I saved your life, you owe me!"

"I owe you nothing." Isaaru said slowly, suppressing his memories of how Baralai saved him from being cleft in twain by Auron one year ago.

"The only reason why you and Cid could turn this place into a tourist attraction is because /I/ allowed it," Baralai said, every bit as slowly as Isaaru.

"I owe you nothing. Go home." Isaaru repeated, trying to get Baralai off of him, but to no avail.

"If I wanted you dead, I would have killed you a long time ago," Baralai whispered, looking directly into Isaaru's eyes. 

Isaaru helplessly looked away, and winced when Baralai embraced him. He felt his resistance crumbling as Baralai's warm cheek pressed against his. Despite feeling safe and protected in the Praetor's deceptively strong arms, he still felt uneasy. He knew Baralai was right and he also knew that Baralai could never afford to kill him or have him killed, but he also knew that it wasn't about being slain, it was, once again, about trust and he still didn't feel it for the younger man. 

"You know I'm right," Baralai said, his breath gliding over Isaaru's ear. "You know this. I can't allow you to stay here when I know your place is in Bevelle with me. Whatever reservations you may feel are wrong--" 

Those simple statements angered Isaaru with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. He pushed Baralai away, forcing him back on one knee. When Baralai looked up, his eyes blazed with such hatred that almost turned Isaaru into stone. But, he showed no fear. He would not give the Praetor the satisfaction.

"Your deception will not work on me," Isaaru said gently, but very firmly. "Leave now and do not ever come back. Go to your wicked, hypocritical, deceitful life, live it, and keep it away from me."

Baralai's eyes narrowed, and he looked truly dreadful as his beautiful face twisted with rage, but his voice was very quiet when he said, "I should have let Auron kill you." Then, he said nothing more as he deftly spun around, and ran into Zanarkand's darkness.

With the young Praetor out of sight, Isaaru fell to his knees, exhausted. He felt foolish and wondered what he had just done. As much as he imagined himself happily living with Baralai and working together for a better New Yevon, he just couldn't shake off his doubts and wasn't sure if he really wanted to. /But, gods, that look. I hope I never see him again. That must be his true self...dear gods, how frightening/. He shook his head, now doubting himself. /Perhaps I am insane/.

Isaaru whispered to the chill air. "Whether or not I am right will be determined by time alone."

  
  
"Oh shit..." Maroda whispered as soon as his elder brother finished. "That was bold of him. He must have really liked you. I don't blame you for doubting yourself."

Isaaru walked away and rested his arms on the stone balcony railing, "Even now, I'm not sure if I did the right thing."

"You didn't."

Isaaru turned sharply at his brother, "I'm surprised you'd say that. It was in the Youth League's best interest to make New Yevon as weak as possible."

"That doesn't change the fact that you made a very stupid mistake," Maroda replied as he stood beside his brother, gazing at the city below. "Besides, I'm your brother first and foremost, you know that. I know we went our separate ways for awhile, but that doesn't change how I feel."

"I know," Isaaru smiled. "But, now I wonder what will happen now."

"It's hard to say with him, and that's all I know."

"But, I am still worried."

"Yea, you should be. You're the one who has to face him."

The former Summoner closed his eyes, "I don't need to be reminded. But, I think you're right; I did make a mistake. When I came back here, it seemed like there were a bunch of leaders with no one willing to follow. You saw what it was like."

"Yea, and I saw how you were able to put it all back together in a very short time," Maroda replied. "I couldn't have done that and I'm not sure if Baralai could have matched that."

"Is that bias talking, Maroda?" Isaaru inquired after chuckling. 

"Nah," Maroda shook his head. "I know what you can do." He put his arm around Isaaru, holding him close. "You'll be okay. You just have to stop worrying. He would not ever hurt you, me, and especially not Pacce. I know that."

"I do not fear him," Isaaru replied, comforted by his younger brother's presence. "But, I do fear what is to come."

  
  



	6. The Morning

Notes: In the show Queer as Folk, some of my favorite scenes are when the group is in the gym. They're known as either gym rats or gym bunnies. Whatever they're called, I've always enjoyed those scenes and that's what influenced me to write what I did in the second part of this chapter. It's also because I honestly think that under Isaaru's robes, he has a body that shows he at least works out. As for the first part, I just really couldn't imagine Rin being too upset at all about his car being taken. At least not when Gippal and Baralai are the culprits. Anyway, enjoy. This is another long chapter.

* * *

A simple kiss on the cheek stirred Baralai from his sleep. His kept his eyes shut as he stretched his arms out, groaning happily as he felt his body awaken. When he finally opened his eyes, he sat up and gasped quietly at the light orange blue colored sky. The stars had faded and were replaced with clouds illuminated by the rising sun. Everything was still, peaceful and with no sound save for a bird chirping. Baralai breathed in the air, scented by morning mist. He turned to Gippal, who rested his blond head against his hand.

"Good morning, Baralai," Gippal said with a weak grin.

"Oh, it's dawn..." Baralai replied, looking around and seeing no one but a few distant Hypellos next to the huge elephant-like Shopuff. He frowned, "Dawn? Uhm, Gippal, you drove all the way here?"

"Yea, I did," Gippal answered, leaning back against the driver's seat. He shut his aqua eye and ran his gloved hands over his face.

"But, why? You could have stopped at Djose. Why didn't you?"

"I wanted to get you home, that's why," Gippal removed the key from the ignition. "But, the driving ends here."

Baralai looked around, at the various green trees to his right and the pyrefly filled lake in front of him, "I can see that. So, how did you get past Mushroom Rock Road?"

Gippal smirked, "I just drove right through it."

"You didn't run over anyone, did you?" Baralai's eyes widened, really wondering if Gippal did drive right over someone. He felt fortunate that he wasn't the one driving through the Youth League's turf.

"No, but I thought about it," Gippal shook his head, beaming mischeviously. "Lucky for us, Lucil dealt with any problems and she got the guards to move."

Baralai caressed Gippal's arms, feeling the soft texture of his purple shirt and the muscles beneath, "Gippal, I'm sorry."

"Why?" Gippal frowned.

"Because I caused you trouble."

"Heh, no you didn't. Believe me, Baralai, if you hadn't thought of it first, I might have been seriously tempted to take this car myself. It drives beautifully."

"Yes, it does," Baralai agreed. "You taught me in this car."

"Yea, I remember."

"It seemed like yesterday," Baralai's face fell as he recalled how he could never wait to go Mi'ihen road, so he could be in that car with his best friend. Even now, he felt pure joy as he remembered driving through there last night, and if it weren't for the jagged scar on his back, he might have forgotten what happened to him and his friends two years ago. Gippal's hand on his shoulder pulled him away from his thoughts.

"You okay?"

"Yes," Baralai nodded.

"Are you thinking of the past?" When Gippal asked that, Baralai blinked, surprised for about a second. "You were." The younger man sighed and looked out at the lake.

"It can't be helped. We have a lot of memories here," Baralai replied quietly.

"Hmph. Everywhere." Gippal nodded. "Just so you know--"

Baralai rolled his eyes, "I already know the Al Bhed saying about how memories are just memories. You've only told me about nine million times."

"I know," Gippal chuckled. "It's just that you tend to dwell on things a lot. I never understood it."

"You probably never will, my Gippal". Baralai lowered his head into his collar, glancing sidelong at Gippal and smiling. /But, does anyone ever truly understand each other? I thought Isaaru understood me/.

/Isaaru/.

Baralai suddenly gasped, sitting straight up as he looked around.Gippal reached out to touch Baralai's shoulder.

"What's the matter? Do you sense any fiends?" The Al Bhed asked.

"No, no..." /Isaaru...is he at Bevelle?/ Baralai shook his head. /He should still be in Zanarkand/.

"Are you sure?"

"Huh?" Baralai folded his slender hands. "It's nothing..."

"Don't bullshit me, Baralai, I know you. If there's anything wrong, you need to tell me."

/I can't...not now...oh, you cannot ever know who I feel...felt about Isaaru.../. "We just need to go, that's all."

"Oh, yea," Gippal agreed as he reached across Baralai to throw the keys in the glove compartment.

"I guess I should start writing my letter of apology," Baralai commented as he stretched once more. He could have sworn he heard some machina motors, but thought nothing of it.

Gippal looked into the review mirror, narrowing his blue eye, "Actually, that won't be necessary."

"Hmm?"

Not two seconds after Baralai sat up, very curious as to who the machina riders could be, they all appeared. All one of them, that is, and that one was a tall, muscular man with long blond hair and goggles on top of his head who stepped off the hover cycle. Judging from that and the yellow and black outfit the man wore, both Gippal and Baralai knew right away that it was none other than Rin himself. Gippal turned to Baralai.

"Uh oh..."

"Let's just stay calm, okay Gippal?" Baralai said, actually feeling calm as he knew there was little to fear from the handsome merchant since he didn't look angry. Of course with Rin, Baralai surmised, it could be difficult to say. He stepped out of the car along with Gippal. Both young men stood beside each other as Rin approached them, completely stoic, but had the faint hint of a smile on his face. Baralai tensed, bracing himself as if Rin were going to hit him. Gippal simply had a smirk on his face, but put his hand to his neck.

"So, I finally find you two," Rin said, sounding quite cordial for someone had his very rare car stolen. "Gippal, I am actually horrified at what you have done," he narrowed his eyes, "yet I am not surprised. Especially since you dragged Baralai with you."

Baralai, fearing what Rin might do, stood in front of Gippal.

"Please, if you're going to punish anyone, punish me!"

Rin raised his eyebrows, "Why would I punish anyone? I am not upset, not really. I knew that whoever took the car could not have gotten that far. I also knew that very few people can drive my car. It wasn't difficult to narrow it down to who did it. I was actually somewhat relieved to find that it was Gippal."

"He didn't do it. I did it," Baralai said, ignoring Gippal grabbing his shoulders. "I was the one who took it."

"Uh, what?" Rin put a hand over his mouth. "You?" He tried to hold back his laughter, but failed miserably as he doubled over, guffawing. "Bwhahahahaahhaahah! You? Hahahahaah!"

Now Baralai slumped forward as he shook himself away from Gippal's grasp, "Excuse me, I was the one. I accept full responsibility for it."

"Sorry, it's just too funny," Rin stood up, his laughter dying down, but still grinning. "I expect this from Gippal, but not from you, young Praetor. Did Gippal put you up to it?" When Baralai shook his head, Rin said calmly, "Now, I am disappointed."

Baralai bowed his head, "I'm sorry." He began to gently grab his collar with his mouth and chew on it as he waited to see how Rin would respond.

"I'm sure you are," Rin replied, still looking amused. "But, only because you were caught."

His collar fell out of his mouth when he gaped, "No, I am truly sorry."

"Would you have been sorry if I didn't catch either of you?" Rin inquired, his smile faded.

"Nope," Gippal muttered, then "oofed" as Baralai elbowed him in the stomach.

"I told Gippal that I would write a letter of apology to you," Baralai said, before muttering "shut up, please" when Gippal uttered, "Yea, like you really would have." The young Praetor shrugged, "Now, as you can see, I don't have to. I can apologize here."

"Mmmm...hmmm..." Rin nodded, his stance telling both young men that he didn't believe a word Baralai was saying. He sighed, "No matter. I have my car back and I assume that you are going home?"

"I'm going with him to Bevelle," Gippal replied, wrapping an arm around Baralai and leaning against him.

"You drove all night, Gippal. You can't go anywhere until you have rested."

"I'm not going all the way back to Djose, Rin," Gippal argued.

"I don't think we should have to," Baralai added, but looked over at the Shopuff. He pursed his lips together. "We can always rest on the Shopuff before getting to Guadosalem, right Gippal?"

Before the younger Al Bhed could respond Rin said, "No, you don't have to. I have my airship nearby. You can go to Bevelle that way."

"Oh," Baralai looked a little surprised, but knew he should be anything but surprised. "Okay. I suppose you'll be taking that machina behind you?"

"You can drive my car to the airship," Rin replied in a resigned, but amused tone.

"Hey! I'm dead tired." Gippal interjected, but shut up when Baralai firmly stepped on his foot.

"Who said you were driving?"

* * *

"What?" Isaaru demanded, holding the curling weight to his chest. "What? Just what?" He quietly grunted as he lowered the weight and then lifted it again. Maroda was beside him, lifting two large hand weights. Both were in a private gym used by the upper echelons of New Yevon, and that included the Praetor himself. Isaaru never worked out with Baralai, but he knew the young Praetor used this place too. He wondered if Baralai ever used this particular weight. However, right now, the only thing he was concerned about was what Maroda just told him.

"Rin's ground machina was stolen in the late afternoon," Maroda was saying between lifts. "Found out in the morning post and from other Youth Leaguers. Everyone knows it now."

"Let's not think for a single moment that it was anyone but Gippal," Isaaru replied, still reeling about the fact that such machina existed, "and where Gippal goes, Baralai is sure to follow."

"You'd be right too. But, here's the amusing part, Baralai was the one who first took the vehicle."

Isaaru nearly dropped the weight, "Oh, you can't be serious."

"Sure am. According to people on the Mi'ihen Highroad, Baralai was the one driving."

"How could they know?" Isaaru asked, trying to imagine the Praetor of New Yevon operating a machina and finding it both funny and ironic. /A hypocrite to the marrow of his bones.../.

"They saw platinum hair spiked in the front, a blue headband, a yellow collar lined with a thin red rope, and a green jacket. Obviously Baralai."

"Baralai...rarely acts without forethought." Isaaru lowered the weight to the floor and sat back on the bench. "He never ceases to surprise me."

"I wasn't surprised," Maroda answered.

"Oh, no of course not," The former Summoner rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Isaaru. You know how tight he is with Gippal. It stands to reason that Gippal would teach Baralai what he wants to know."

"I know...but, I wonder what the rest of Spira must be thinking. I mean, it can't look good for Baralai. What did the headlines say, "'Praetor of New Yevon stole prominent Al Bhed Merchant's machina. Everyone horrified?"

"Actually, it said, " 'Two of Spira's leaders drive off into the sunset...with merchant Rin's ground machina'. It was reported on the Spiran comms too. Shelinda was gleeful when she was talking about it."

"How did the Youth Leaguers feel?" Isaaru inquired as he picked up his weight and exchanged it with Maroda's. He began lifting the two weights with little effort.

"Amused," Maroda replied as he curled. "Nooj just said that he wasn't surprised, but he was a little envious since he isn't really able to use such vehicles and last very long."

"Can't say I blame him," Isaaru said, remembering how Nooj's left arm and leg were almost entirely machina, which made it difficult for him to do anything beyond walk. "Did Baralai run over any Youth Leaguers?" He smirked, knowing Baralai probably wouldn't have no matter how much he might have wanted to.

"You wish," Maroda chuckled. "Baralai wasn't driving in Mushroom Rock. He was asleep according to Lucil. Basically, your lover drove through Mi'ihen and Gippal took over from there."

"My lover? Please, Maroda, you know better than that," Isaaru said as he increased his pace slightly. "But, since the world knows about it, I'm sure he'll be interrogated by those who might not be so approving of his behavior."

"Gods forbid a Yevonite use a machina," Maroda rolled his eyes, "and in the meantime, other Yevonites will be playing with their guns and piddling with their machina that defends the temples."

Isaaru stopped lifting the weights and let them fall on his lap, "It's not so much that he was operating a machina, it's that he stole one."

"Gippal probably put him up to it," Maroda said dismissively, before grunting as he pumped his arms.

"Doesn't matter," Isaaru shrugged, "Baralai still did it and he will be the most criticized for it."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Isaaru's younger brother shook his head before lowering the weight.

"Sure, I would, but I know Baralai, and I'm pretty sure he'll smile his way back into the hearts of those who didn't appreciate what he did. Which leaves only the most virulent opposition in New Yevon."

"Which are your opponents, I might add," Maroda said as he wiped his short, black hair with a towel.

"I know," Isaaru said simply. /Does that mean I should be allies with Baralai/? "It's just that he is the Praetor of New Yevon and should therefore set a good example to others." /Except for me, as I have about as much use for his example as a fish has use for a chocobo/.

"He's also twenty years old. He's my age and Gippal is eighteen. They're going to be doing things they're not supposed to be doing."

Isaaru stood up, "Have you forgotten? I too was their age and I would have never conceived of doing what they did."

"Of course not," Maroda said as he put the weights back in their rightful places, "You don't even like the sphere comms, but you've done things--"

"Shut up, Moronda!" Isaaru snapped quietly as he grabbed a medicine ball.

"Aww, Isanass, you just don't want to remember what I've caught you doing with--"

"Maroda, please..." Isaaru moaned, "I don't need to be reminded. Besides, I didn't steal machina."

"Nah, you just sto--"

"Shut it!" Isaaru threw the medicine ball at his brother.

Maroda threw the ball back, "I'm just saying--"

"I know what you're saying, Maroda, but that doesn't justify what those two did, especially since they are leaders." Isaaru threw the ball.

"They know Rin, so I'm sure they won't be imprisoned." Maroda shrugged as he caught the ball, and readied himself to throw it back.

"I have news of the Praetor," Zetu called as he entered the room. Maroda put down the ball as Isaaru stood beside him.

"What news? That they stole a vehicle of Rin's?" Isaaru asked. "I know that."

"That's not it. I knew you'd know that," Zetu replied as he folded his arms, putting his hands in his blue robes. "I got a message from Rin."

Isaaru blinked, "Rin?"

"He caught Baralai and Gippal at the Moonflow."

"Figures," Isaaru nodded as he remembered the Moonflow and how the only ways to get past it was either by Shopuff, boat, or by going on foot in the forest surrounding it. "So, what happened?"

"He took them on his airship and they're on their way here."

Isaaru shut his eyes, suddenly feeling very sick, "How long?"

Zetu shrugged, "A few hours at the most."

"So Rin wasn't angry?" Maroda asked. Isaaru opened his eyes and gave Zetu a questioning glance.

"No, not from what I can gather." Zetu shook his head. "He can't have been happy about it, but Rin seemed very forgiving. I don't think the boys will be punished. "

"No, of course not," Isaaru muttered. "From what I can gather, Gippal and Rin are very close and Baralai..." Isaaru frowned, "well, I assume that Rin knows him well too. But, I'm pretty certain that Baralai will be facing a very unhappy New Yevon council.

"Oh yes," Zetu nodded, "However, while I certainly did not approve of his actions, if Rin is willing to let this go, then so am I and so should the other New Yevonites."

"The only thing I care about is that because of all this, Baralai is now going to get here much sooner than I thought."

"Could have been worse," Maroda interjected, "They could have gotten on Rin's airship right after their speech."

Zetu looked at Isaaru with raised eyebrows, "Which meant that Baralai could have easily arrived last night. If it's any consolation, Isaaru, Baralai will have to answer for his actions, especially since he is the Praetor."

"Yes, I understand," Isaaru said quietly. He didn't want to admit that he actually felt eager to see Baralai again. If only to see what would happen between them now. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as it seemed. It would depend on how long Baralai could and would hold a grudge and whether or not Maroda was right about the young Praetor harming him or his brothers in retaliation for what happened one year ago. Right now, though, Isaaru just felt faint. He felt Maroda's hand on his arm.

"You okay?" Maroda asked.

"To be honest, no," Isaaru admitted, wanting to die right there. He didn't find it fun showing weakness in front of a fellow former Summoner. Zetu looked sympathetic though, and that was a comfort to Isaaru.

"I don't begrudge how you feel, Lord Isaaru," Zetu said. "Just tread lightly and carefully. No matter how you feel, he is still the Praetor." After bowing his bald head, Zetu said his good-byes and left the room.

"Don't be stupid, okay?" Marada poked Isaaru's side.

"I don't intend to," Isaaru replied quietly before following his younger brother out of the private gym to eat breakfast.


	7. The Inevitable

Notes: Gah! This chapter was harder than I thought to write. What you see in the middle was inspired by a fic on RPG Gamer called "Your Pilgrimage Ends Here". Enjoy! These chapters are just getting long. Sheeesh.

* * *

Zetu's consolation wasn't much of one to Isaaru, but only because it was something that was as obvious as the sun at noon, which, by the way, it was. But, Isaaru supposed that the older man had to think of something to alleviate any worries. What was a huge consolation, however, were the whispers in the hallways and through open doors. It wasn't gossip about Baralai, that would come later. It was about Isaaru.  
  
"I wish Isaaru could stay the Praetor. He's much better than Baralai."  
  
"Isaaru has such a pull on people. Baralai never had that kind of effect, no matter how humble and polite he was."   
  
"Why did Isaaru leave to begin with? Things were wonderful when he was around."  
  
"Isaaru would make a wonderful Praetor". Isaaru heard this one ever since he first stepped up to take over the Praetor's duties and everytime he heard it, it sounded like the first time, and it was honey to him. Actually, it was more than honey. It made the most addictive drugs look like coffee, and Isaaru would practically float in the air everytime he heard it.   
  
It's not like everything else didn't have that effect, they just made him cringe because of the comparison to Baralai. Oh, sure, he would have loved to see how the twenty year old would react to them, but preferably from afar, and yet close enough to be able to see his handsome face. As Isaaru sat at the dining table in his room, he realized that Baralai would appear impassive, while internally seething. Or maybe not. Isaaru just didn't know, but that was one of the myriad of reasons why he did want to see Baralai again. He smiled, looking over at his two younger brothers sparring on the large balcony. There were a few large ferns on the corners, but Pacce and Maroda were nowhere near them.   
  
As Isaaru watched them, he thought of how Baralai would treat the two of them. He had no doubt that Baralai would be wary of Maroda. Despite the cute speech about being one ship, Isaaru knew damned well that Baralai would trust Maroda about as far as he could throw him. Being in the Youth League was more than enough reason for distrust. Isaaru recalled seeing other Youth Leaguers in Bevelle, but they were not close to Isaaru, so trust wasn't an issue there.  
  
That left Pacce. In the youngest brother's case, it was nowhere near about trust. But, watching Pacce forced Isaaru to remember what happened to him and his brothers two years ago. He knew in his heart that few people were more loyal to Yevon than he was, but when he was asked, or make that ordered, to fight the Lady Yuna, he realized that in the eyes of certain Maesters, it was all a sham. The one Maester who clearly felt that way was Kinoc. Isaaru had often heard of how the short, pudgy bald man was so paranoid that even people planning his birthday part were held under suspicion. He didn't think much of it at all. That is, until Seymour threatened to have Isaaru's two brothers killed if he failed to defeat Yuna.  
  
To this day, Isaaru grit his teeth just thinking about it. Yuna and her friends were right, and it ate him alive. But, oddly enough, he didn't blame Seymour for he was clearly insane. He didn't even blame Maester Mika, for he was an "unsent" anyway and had little to gain by harming either Isaaru or his brothers. The 'person' to blame was no one other than Maester Kinoc, who grinned like a man drunk on power, as he told him to "deal with the traitors". At the time, Isaaru had no idea just who these traitors might have been nor did he know what happened. He wasn't afraid to say so either. But, for Kinoc to ask a Summoner to go after them meant that they had to be important. Especially when his brothers were taken at gunpoint, and when he was told that, "should you fail, your brothers will be killed, and you soon after."  
  
Isaaru remembered feeling so sick that he could have thrown up in front of everyone if it weren't for the sheer rage he felt while looking at smug Maester Kinoc's face. He didn't show it though. In fact, he showed no emotion, not even the underlying fear for his brothers' lives. Isaaru still remained impassive. He had told Kinoc that he was always loyal to Yevon, and that man shrugged it off as thought a lifetime of dedication was nothing. Kinoc simply mentioned that this act was "an incentive to defeat those traitors", and walked off with the guards, who took his brothers.

* * *

For awhile, Isaaru stood at the Temple entrance, not able to do much of anything but breathe. He thought of his brothers, of the angry look Maroda had, and of the confusion in little Pacce's face. Once he thought of Kinoc and how proud of himself he seemed to be, Isaaru felt so angry that he could have killed the Maester if he were able to. In fact, that was just his plan. Defeat Lady Yuna, and then go after that squat, fat, self-satisfied bastard. An accident is a good friend of many people, and this would be no different. It gave him the resolve to start heading for Vio Purifico.   
  
Just inside, someone grabbed Isaaru's shoulder, causing him to spin around in shock. When he saw just who had touched him, his jaw could have fallen to the floor, for who stood in front of him had to have one of the most gorgeous people in all of Spira. His hair was as white as the fair weather clouds in the sky, starkly contrasting his smooth, tan skin. His face was just perfect. Soft, yet finely chiseled. His sharp eyes were a brownish gold and they sparkled in the sunlight as he sized up Isaaru. He could not have been a day older than eighteen. A baby, according to Isaaru. Judging from his elaborate green coat, white shirt held together by a blue plate and yellow rope belt, beige pantaloons with golden wraps around his calves, and dark brown boots, Isaaru knew that he was also of Yevon.   
  
/A monk/. Isaaru figured, but also figured that the youth seemed too soft, not to mention too young, to be much of one.  
  
"What is it?" He managed to ask as politely as he could.  
  
"I am sorry," The young man replied, and Isaaru noted that the boy's voice was as soft as he looked.   
  
Isaaru frowned, "For what?"  
  
"For what has happened," The youth looked down, burying his fair face into his high yellow collar. "I-"  
  
"You have done nothing." Isaaru looked into the dark hallway that led into the inner area of Vio Purifico. "I must go." He turned to walk away, but the boy grabbed his arm.  
  
"Let me come with you," he whispered as gently as a breeze.   
  
Isaaru turned, "Why?"  
  
"I want to help you."  
  
"Forgive me, but I don't need your help," Isaaru said, inwardly shocked that someone that didn't even know him was willing to come with him.  
  
"You can't risk your brothers' lives," The boy pleaded, his golden eyes widening with worry.  
  
/Why do you care/? Isaaru wanted to ask, but opted not to when he realized that the young man was offering out of compassion. Still, Isaaru didn't feel right in getting a stranger involved in this. "I'll be okay. I can defeat the traitors. I am certain."  
  
Isaaru thought that the young monk would argue further, but he didn't. Instead, he bowed, "Forgive me for keeping you. Please be careful."  
  
"You needn't worry," Isaaru simply replied, turning his back to go deeper into the dungeons. Whether or not the young man followed, Isaaru didn't know and honestly didn't care. The youth's image stayed with him though, and Isaaru doubted if he would ever forget it, or the sweet sound of his voice.  
  
When he found out the traitor was Lady Yuna and three of her Guardians, including Auron, he didn't show any surprise, but inside, he could have sank through the floor. When she defeated him, he did. She approached him to comfort him, but he told her to stay away for he would have sooner hanged himself by his nostrils than accept comfort from a rival. When Auron approached him, Isaaru was certain that his life was over. He had failed, and now he and his brothers would die because of him(and that bastard Kinoc). Isaaru said nothing as he looked up at the famed Guardian, wishing that he had accepted the tan skinned boy's assistance.  
  
"Your Pilgramige is over," Auron said simply, as if it were nothing. He bore no malice, but that didn't mean anything to the Summoner, who knelt from exhaustion. Isaaru no way to fight back, and they both knew it. Auron lifted his sword, and Isaaru bowed his head.  
  
"Forgive me, my brothers," Isaaru gasped under his breath, closing his eyes and waiting for the deathblow.  
  
"Please don't!"  
  
Isaaru jerked up and Auron turned. It was the young monk, with his soft voice, yet this time it was laced with authority. Shadows covered one half of his lithe body, but the gun he pointed at Auron was plainly seen, and so were his dark eyes, which reflected the red torchlight nearby. Auron showed no emotion, but Isaaru helplessly showed relief.  
  
"Do you intend to shoot me?" Auron asked, sounding so indifferent that Isaaru feared that more than the large sword.  
  
"If I must," the young monk answered, taking a silent step forward. Isaaru heard a click that came from the weapon, "If you kill him, I will kill you."  
  
Auron chuckled, "I don't blame you, but you can't kill what is already dead."  
  
Both the youth and Isaaru gasped, "What?" /I can send him! If only I had the strength/. The monk seemed to read this thoughts because he quickly put his gun away, and walked briskly towards Auron, his hands making the gestures of a Sending. But, before anything could happen, the Legendary Guardian ran off to catch up with Yuna and the rest of her Guardians.  
  
Isaaru didn't know what to think at this point. He honestly believed that he was going to die right there, but was glad that he didn't. The young man knelt in front of him with concern in his eyes.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
Still very tired, Isaaru helplessly leaned into the younger man, breathing in the spicy leather scent, "You cannot be a Summoner, and yet I know that you weren't bluffing." Isaaru looked into the youth's eyes. "You were trained to be a Summoner, yes?" He could almost see himself in the boy's light mahogany eyes.   
  
"Yes," the boy replied. "I'm sorry, but we don't have time." He slowly helped Isaaru to his feet. "I know where your brothers are."  
  
"Are they safe?" Isaaru asked, eager to get to them, but he almost fell over, and had to lean on the other man. He felt ashamed to rely on someone younger than himself, who he didn't even know, and wasn't a brother.   
  
"Yes, for now at least. We have to hurry."  
  
Isaaru nodded in agreement, trying to pull away, but the young monk wouldn't let him. Knowing that the only other option was to stagger and possibly fall yet again, Isaaru accepted the boy's arm around his shoulder as they traversed through the dark hallways of Vio Purifico, mindful of any fiends.   
  
"Oh, forgive me," the youth suddenly said, his camomile scented breath reaching Isaaru's nose, "I didn't catch your name."  
  
"I am Isaaru," he responded, his blue eyes scanning the light blue Yevon symbols glistening on the walls. Upon saying his own name, he felt his strength return and he slowly pulled away to walk on his own.   
  
"Isaaru..." When the young man repeated that name, it sounded like a gentle caress, and it made Isaaru shiver.  
  
"What is your name?"   
  
The youth smiled a polite, demure smile, "Baralai."  
  
"Baralai..." Isaaru breathed. /A name as beautiful as you/. "So why did you save me?"   
  
Baralai's smile suddenly faded, and Isaaru found himself missing it, "I saw Maester Kinoc threaten you and your brothers. I couldn't stand by and do nothing."  
  
"I see," Isaaru lowered his head, only to look up when Baralai touched his arm. He noticed that the ends of the coat sleeves were yellow and blue with crimson mandalas upon them.   
  
"If it's any consolation, Kinoc will be killed today."  
  
Isaaru's eyes widened, "Really? How?"  
  
Baralai smiled again, "Seymour will kill him." His eyes glinted in the torchlight, and the smile turned a little devious. "It's to both of our advantages."  
  
"Is that so?" Isaaru asked, flinching when Baralai narrowed his eyes.  
  
"You're not the only one who was hurt by Master Kinoc."  
  
Before Isaaru could ask what happened, a loud noise behind them shocked him, and he fell to his knees. Baralai spun around to face the winged fiend, deftly pulling out his gun and shooting before it could even strike. When Isaaru managed to face the monster, Baralai quickly moved forward and waved his arm. The monster shrank back as a black globe enveloped it. Isaaru had a spell in mind, but quickly realized that he didn't have to do anything because Baralai shot at the fiend once more and it dissappated into pyreflies.  
  
When the younger man helped him up, Isaaru wanted to die of embarrassment. A twenty-five year old Summoner who travelled throughout Spira for many years(and that included the Vias), surprised by a fiend. If it weren't for young Baralai, Isaaru was certain that he would have been killed or badly wounded. Twice, Baralai saved his life.  
  
"I don't know what to say," was all Isaaru managed before he felt like vanishing.  
  
"Well, a simple 'thank you' would suffice," Baralai replied in a joking manner. "Don't worry about it. Come along." Baralai moved ahead, a black banner decorated with white symbols, floating up behind him. Isaaru noticed that this was attached to the jacket, and that similar lines were on the bottom, but they weren't banners.   
  
"Why am I even noticing this?" Isaaru grumbled, catching up when Baralai looked over his shoulder.   
  
"Did you say something?" The younger man asked.  
  
"Uhm...no."  
  
"You should be more aware of your surroundings," Baralai chided, as they went down a path that led to the cells. "That way, you won't often be surprised, if at all.  
  
The way the young monk said that just burnt Isaaru up. It was bad enough that he got to hear it from his own brothers, but to hear it from someone he didn't know? No way. But, the look in Baralai's eyes held him back, and instead just got defensive.  
  
"I usually am, but I just got through Summoning three Aeons."  
  
"You had more, didn't you?" Baralai inquired.  
  
/How did he know that?/ Isaaru shook his head, "Yes, I did have more, and I was ready to use them all too." He grit his teeth. "Yuna is considered a better Summoner than I am, but I know that if I did summon all of the Aeons I had, her group would have been defeated."  
  
"You said you were certain you'd win."  
  
"I was certain, and I was certain that after her defeat, I would take care of Kinoc myself. But, no. I just couldn't do it. My brothers' lives were at risk, and I could not do what I was supposed to do." Isaaru felt like spitting on the ground.  
  
"I see," was Baralai's gentle reply.   
  
"You have no judgement of me," Isaaru blinked, just stunned that Baralai didn't chide him for not giving his all.  
  
"No, I don't," Baralai shook his head. "You knew she was innocent."  
  
Isaaru sighed, "Yes, I knew..."  
  
Before Baralai could say something else, they found their way to the cells, and nearly all of them were empty. They usually were since most of those put in Vio Purifico ended up dying pretty quickly. But, Isaaru slowly sighed when he saw Pacce jumping up and down and Maroda calling for him.  
  
"So how do we get out of here?" Maroda demanded, looking around. When his eyes fell on Baralai, he frowned. "Who is he?"  
  
"Someone who saved me," Isaaru simply said, not having to do anything as Baralai fished out keys from his coat. Once the younger brothers were out of the cell, Pacce ran to up Baralai and grabbed his coat.  
  
"Thank you, mister," He said, looking up at Baralai, his eyes bright and wide. Isaaru couldn't help but smile, and neither could Baralai.  
  
Pacce and Maroda ran on ahead to clear out fiends. They both took pleasure in wiping out even the toughest of fiends. Not even Baralai was able to get involved, because by the time he tried to, the fiends were already defeated.  
  
"You have great Guardians!" Baralai remarked, his eyes bright. "Little Pacce especially has a lot of potential."  
  
"Of course," Isaaru grinned with pride as he watched Pacce jump around in a victory dance. His smile faded, however, when he suddenly remembered just how close his brothers were to losing their lives to Maester Kinoc.   
  
Baralai noticed the sudden change immedietly, "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm just wondering why Kinoc threatened the lives of my brothers. I must have been the only Summoner in history treated that way," Isaaru walked beside Baralai with his head lowered, trying to figure out why Kinoc would dare threaten a Summoner and his family. "I have always been loyal to Yevon. Sometimes blindly so." Isaaru sighed, feeling a dawning within him. "I was a threat, wasn't I? A threat to Kinoc..." Baralai held Isaaru's arms, showing nothing but understanding. "Why would I be a threat? I would have died saving Spira from Sin..." He looked ahead at his brothers who had just defeated another fiend. He slowed down. "Wait..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Isaaru looked at Baralai, "He knew I would fail. I mean, in my Pilgramige. I would return alive." Isaaru shook his head. "But, I would never in a million years have given up!"  
  
"He saw you as a threat. Simple as that." Baralai curtly replied, speeding up his pace. Isaaru did his best to keep up.  
  
"A threat? I, a Summoner, a threat? Were I not a Summoner, I would understand, but my success would be certain death in Zanarkand!"  
  
"Look, Maester Kinoc was a paranoid little man. You could have been so loyal as to do anything for Yevon, and it wasn't enough for Maester Kinoc."  
  
"I noticed," Isaaru bitterly replied. "But, to threaten my life and my brother's lives..."  
  
"He'd do anything for a grab of power. Anything. That's why he was killed."  
  
"I would have been killed anyway, wouldn't I?" Isaaru asked, wanting to just drink some tea and go to sleep. Baralai nodded, his eyes pained. "Yes. Even if I were to defeat Yuna, Kinoc would have had me killed anyway. But...if he considered me a threat." Isaaru slowed to a stop, his face shadowed. "He'd be right to do so, because I would have killed him myself. It was my intent to do so."   
  
"Shhh...don't dwell on it." Baralai grabbed Isaaru's arm and almost dragged him along. He had a look of awe on his face, and the Summoner couldn't understand why. "Believe me, I don't blame you, but he could predict the actions those who can and do fight back. He always lived in fear of shadows."  
  
"I should have figured that," Isaaru shrugged, noticing that his two brothers had beaten yet another fiend. "So tell me, Baralai, what did Maester Kinoc do to you? I understand if you don't want to say."  
  
Baralai looked at Isaaru and politely smiled, "Thank you."   
  
Isaaru smiled back, "I see."

* * *

He smiled now as he remembered how the four of them got along so quickly and so well. But, Isaaru imagined that when someone saved you and your whole family, you're not going to be very rude, unless you were just awful. However, it wasn't as if any of them had to prostrate themselves at Baralai's feet, even though he did have some nice boots. When Isaaru held Yevon together before the defeat of Sin, it seemed like everything was just perfect, even when he spotted Baralai with Gippal while Yuna's group fought Sin. It all started to fall apart between the four when Trema arrived. But, Isaaru didn't want to think of any of that right now. Instead, he looked at his youngest brother.  
  
"Pacce adored you, Baralai," Isaaru whispered to no one. "He still does." He recalled how he almost had to drag Pacce feet first out of Bevelle, while Baralai looked on with a forlorn look on his smooth face. Isaaru pressed his lips together as he remembered how Pacce kept asking why and all Isaaru could say was that he was too young to understand why. Maroda had already left as he preferred the ideals of the Youth League's over New Yevon's. That irritated Baralai, but he learned to live with it.   
  
So, why then, didn't he learn to live with the fact that Isaaru would not be a husband to him? Isaaru couldn't help but think that if he were to leave New Yevon of his own accord, Baralai would have chased him down and it made him shudder. But, now? Now, Baralai would be here in about thirty minutes. That he learned from an acolyte who looked too excited for her own good because Isaaru was about ready to smack her. He didn't blame her for being excited about the Praetor's return, but he didn't want to be reminded, not like that.  
  
Maroda walked in and put a hand on Isaaru's shoulder, "Are you okay?"  
  
"Baralai will be here soon," Isaaru lowered his head, feeling his stomach turn.   
  
"Then we'll wait for him, and greet him."  
  
"Why?" Isaaru asked.  
  
"Have you forgotten? If you don't face him now, you will later. His room is right at the end of the hallway, maybe ten steps away from ours. You can bet that if you don't go to him, he'll come to you."   
  
"Oh no..." Isaaru groaned, looking up at Maroda, "I actually forgot about that."   
  
"So, come on then," Maroda walked over to the door.  
  
"What's going on?" Pacce asked, his eyes rounded from curiosity natural in twelve year olds.  
  
Isaaru stood up, his face grim. "Pacce, we're leaving."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To meet Baralai." 


	8. The arrival

Notes: Looks these chapters are going to stay long. This is almost all Baralai/Gippal here and there's a little lemon to have fun with. This one was also a difficult chapter to write, but it was fun. Enjoy! (Watch me find mistakes AFTER posting this chapter. Heh).

* * *

Rin's airship was nowhere near as garish as the fiery red Celsius nor was it anywhere near as loud or filled with insane people running around all over the place. It was black, sleek, and above all, generally quiet. Baralai thought that was quite suitable for Rin, not to mention himself, and he decided that if he were going to have an airship, it would resemble Rin's. It's not that he didn't like the Celsius, he just didn't like how noisy it was. If it wasn't Brother screaming his head off about nothing, it was the engine, or the Hypellos, or Callie's Chocobos, or the Gullwings, especially the ever energetic Rikku. And the color! Gah! The thought of crimson being the dominating color anywhere nauseated the young Praetor. Baralai never knew how Paine could put up with any of it, because for the few hours he was on that Airship, he was ready to kill everyone, except, of course, his closest friend. He made no complaints though because he spent most of the time mending his friendships with Paine and Nooj. But, most of all, he got to spend time being close to Gippal again.

Speaking of Gippal, Baralai was lying right next to him, his dark eyes noting the stark contrast between his dark hand and Gippal's spiked blond hair as his fingertips glided across the younger man's scalp. He sighed, wishing that the thirty minutes remaining until they arrived in Bevelle would stretch back into hours, but he accepted that he would have to return to his duties as Praetor eventually. He would also have to deal with those who had to have heard what he did in Luca. Now, he was concerned. He started anticipating what they might say, and he would counter that they didn't seem to mind the use of machina when the Temples were overrun by fiends or when Yuna's Guardians caused trouble. Pressing his lips together, Baralai realized that use of machina might not have been the issue, but rather stealing would be. He buried the back of his head in a pillow. How could he possibly come up with an excuse for that? Quite simple, really. He wouldn't.

His worries subsided when Gippal opened his one eye and stretched. Baralai smiled, keeping his hand on Gippal's hair as he leaned down, brushing his lips against his best friend's forehead. The young Praetor honestly believed that with Gippal close to him, nothing could ever hurt him.

"Good morning, my Gippal," Baralai snuggled into Gippal as he said that.

"Mmmm...what the hell are you doing?" Gippal grinned, obviously being playful.

Baralai chuckled, "I'm loving you."

"You're loving me?" Gippal shook his head. He put a pillow over his head and Baralai immedietly pulled it away. "Aw, come on. I know you want me."

"Oh please," Baralai scoffed, playfully rolling his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself."

"Hey, somebody has to since you won't." Gippal elbowed his friend. "You just want to 'love' me. Meh, you're boring."

"You never seemed to mind when we first got together," Baralai pointed out as he grabbed Gippal and held him close. He inhaled Gippal's scent, which was a mixture of sweat, machina oil and the fresh air of Spira. He closed his eyes, just absorbing it. That's all he wanted to do ever since he could finally be close to his best friend again.

Gippal grinned while running his index finger over Baralai's cheeks, his chin, and his succulent lips. "How can I mind, eh?"

"Hmmm...touche'..." Was the only answer Baralai could come up with, especially since Gippal's hand got past the folds of his shirt to glide across his chest and tweak a nipple. Baralai gasped, feeling little shivers all over his body.

"You like that?" Gippal inquired, knowing full well that Baralai did.

"Gippal..." Baralai sighed.

"Should have been obvious, huh?"

"Mmmm...hmm..." Was all Baralai could manage as Gippal's hand moved down his side, fingertips playing on muscle and dark skin.

"So how long until we get to Bevelle?" Gippal inquired.

"Less than thirty minutes."

"Really?" The younger man's one eye widened. "I thought it would be longer."

"You slept the whole time," Baralai grinned, putting his hand over his best friend's. "I almost had to carry you on the ship. Thankfully, Rin helped me or I would have dropped you."

"Oh, Baralai, you disappoint me. I thought you were stronger than that." Gippal had a hint of joking in his voice since he knew that Baralai was noted more for his dexterity than anything. The Al Bhed smiled, "I could have carried you all by myself."

Baralai rolled his eyes, "Only to drop me." He turned over on his back, feeling tingly when Gippal's hand slid on his abdomen. "You haven't had any breakfast, and it's lunchtime now. You should be hungry. I left some fruit for you if you want some." He pointed to the silver table that was filled mostly with grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, mangos and pineapples. Baralai requested those himself and practically devoured the whole table as Gippal slept. He chuckled just thinking about how he massacred a pineapple and couldn't keep his hands off the mangos. Baralai didn't want to think how long it had been such he had such things since the Celsius had none of those and he didn't have much time to hunt them down in Luca.

"Nah, no thanks," Gippal shook his head, half-smiling, his hand moving down towards Baralai's crotch. "All I want is a protein drink."

Baralai chuckled, knowing that since his jacket, belt and leather piece(or his "chastity belt") were on a chair, Gippal would have an easy time doing what he obviously intended on doing since he woke up. "Goodness, Gippal, wouldn't you rather have some actual food?"

Gippal grabbed the waistline of Baralai's pants and pulled them down, "I thought this was real food."

"Gippal!" Baralai quivered as the cool air rushed over his genitals. Quite naturally, he hardened, but he managed to say, "Shouldn't you eat something a little more healthy?"

"If I want healthy, I'll just siphon off you," Gippal grinned before closing his hot, moist mouth over the young Praetor's member.

Baralai breathed deeply, putting his hands on his face in the hopes that it would stifle any sound he made. Thankfully, he only grunted while his body jerked upward, overwhelmed by the sensations that coursed through him. Baralai moved carefully, however, because he didn't want to make Gippal gag, but he didn't need Baralai's help, because he moved as the older man moved. His tongue always managed to hit Baralai in the right spots. It had always been like this. Gippal just seemed to know what he was doing all the time, while Baralai usually felt awkward before feeling at ease. But, now, the Praetor arched his back as he felt his climax hit him, his seed spilling out of him into his best friend's mouth.

Spent, Baralai snuggled into the pillow as he watched Gippal swallow and wipe his mouth.

"Mmmm...yummy!" Gippal exclaimed as he lied down beside Baralai. "A very nutritious breakfast."

"Uhm, yea, I'm sure it was," Baralai shook his head. He started to pull up his pants. "We should be in Bevelle very soon now, so we need to get up."

"I wish I didn't sleep the whole way," Gippal replied, sitting up and stretching his arms over his head. "We could have done a lot more."

"We have time, my Gippal," Baralai walked over to the chair and began putting on his leather codpiece. "Does the Machine Faction need you immedietly?"

"No, they never need me that much," Gippal sat on the side of the bed, looking quite content. "I can stay with you as long as you like or until I get dragged back to Djose. If I had my way," Gippal walked over to Baralai and put his arms around him, "it'd be the latter."

Baralai chuckled, as he tied the belt that held his shirt together, "I wish I could be as carefree as you."

"Don't worry, you can be," Gippal whispered.

The young Praetor nearly glowed when he felt his best friend's slightly chapped lips on his cheek, but he pulled away. "I'm sorry. I have to get my coat on."

"Are you worried?"

Baralai froze, his hands on the back of his neck to tie his yellow collar, "Worried?"

"I remember you telling me that you would worry later about what happened with Rin's car. So, are you worried now?"

"Y-yes," Baralai said, his voice like a breeze. His hands almost fumbled as he tied the red cord into a knot. He felt himself relax when he felt Gippal's hands on his. "I am worried, but I think I can handle myself just fine." Once fully dressed, he turned to Gippal. "Besides, I don't think I'll get interrogated until the next day anyway. Either way, I'll be all right." But, his arms fell to his sides, as Isaaru suddenly came to mind. If he did indeed return to Bevelle, then Baralai knew that all of his old feelings would return. All of them, and some of them rather unpleasant. It wasn't just that either, but the fact that those who followed Baralai only because Isaaru was gone would go right back to him, abandoning the young Praetor and his visions in favor of visions little different, but slightly more conservative.

That thought nearly stopped his heart. He couldn't afford such a rift, and even though their support was lukewarm, it was better than nothing, and much better than going with the combined opposition of former Tremites and extreme conservatives. Isaaru's presence worried him more than anything, but he refused to treat Isaaru the way Trema treated him no matter how many vicious insults the former Summoner could come up with.

"I don't buy that, Baralai." Gippal said, snapping Baralai out of his thoughts.

"Excuse me?" Baralai turned around.

"I didn't mean to piss you off," Gippal held his hands up in a warding gesture.

"No, no, you didn't," Baralai shook his head. "I'm just a little excited, that's all." /Isaaru.../.

"I think you're worried," Gippal rubbed his neck, eyeing the Praetor carefully. "No, actually, I know you're worried."

"Well, you'd be right, but it's not for the reasons you think." Baralai inwardly winced as he remembered that the only person he never could handle in Yevon was Isaaru.

Gippal frowned, "What?"

But, the airship landed before Baralai could come up with an answer, and he was relieved because he didn't want to reveal his history with the former Summoner to Gippal just yet. /And if Isaaru isn't there, I don't think I'll ever have to, thank Yevon/. "Nevermind, sorry. I'm just a little jittery, that's all."

"If you say so," Gippal shrugged, opening up the closet to put a few articles of clothing in a bag. Baralai blinked about a thousand times.

"Gippal, what are you doing?"

"What? You think I'm going to wear the same clothes over and over again?" Baralai rolled his eyes, "Oh, Gippal." /I can't wait to see how Rin is going to react now/.

"Anyway," Gippal threw the bag over his shoulder, "the airship has stopped completely, so follow me. I can't wait to see Bevelle."

"You and I both," Baralai muttered as he walked out of the room.

Bevelle both looked and felt good as the two young men stepped out of the airship after saying their good-byes with Rin. Nothing seemed to change since Baralai had been taken deep into the Farplane. Unless, of course, you counted groups of people running towards the young Praetor and shouting in joy. Gippal and Baralai looked at each other and greeted everyone as best they could.

"Oh wow! Looks like everyone is just glad to see you!" Gippal commented, as curious towards the Bevellians as they were to him. "I'm sure it'll be this way once I get to Djose."

"Of course," Baralai smirked as he weaved around the crowd, always smiling shaking hands when he could, and hugging female guards. Gippal raised an eyebrow.

"Lucky you! You've got some female admirers." Gippal poked Baralai's side.

"You don't?" Baralai grinned as he pinched Gippal's cheek.

"Nah!" Obviously, the younger man was lying through the skin of his teeth.

"Did you know that some of those female guards we passed would talk about you?"

"I bet they did. I'm such a stud." Gippal beamed, causing Baralai to roll his eyes and shake his head.

"They used to talk about marriage with you."

The Al Bhed's smile faded, "What? Okay, now that's just scary."

/And I'd get upset. It took everything I had to not lash out, even while I was in love with Isaaru, I still got angry when people even thought of taking you/. "I was scarier." Baralai replied. He grabbed Gippal's hand and held it tight, but was very careful to conceal the act as much as possible. Still, the Yevon girls would gossip now, but they probably did that well before the two friends arrived considering what happened after the Luca speech. He really wished that Gippal was more careful, but it was too late to change any rash actions now.

As the two friends neared the entrance to the temple, Baralai heard things he wish he never did, but he tried to keep his spirits up. He knew this was inevitable and it made him certain of Isaaru's presence in Bevelle.

"I wish Isaaru could stay the Praetor. He's much better than Baralai."

Baralai almost stumbled upon hearing that, but Gippal held him up.

"You okay?" he asked, his one eye filled with concern.

"Yes, of course," Baralai whispered, trying remain elated as more of his followers shouted in joy at his return. He smile almost vanished when he heard someone else comment.

"Isaaru has such a pull on people. Baralai never had that kind of effect, no matter how humble and polite he was."

/Oh gods/. Baralai now grit his teeth when he smiled. The green monster was attacking him because those words were the truth and he knew it. He thanked Yevon for his supporters, and wished he had the strength to keep Isaaru's followers completely loyal, but he accepted that it would never happen. Especially when he heard this,

"We were stupid to let Isaaru go. We should have done what we were willing to do, and that is follow Isaaru into the gates of the Farplane!"

/Well, I'm glad you didn't/! Baralai thought, his eyes narrowing as his smile began to fade. /The Youth League would have enjoyed it if you all left for Isaaru. Damn it/! He sighed, leaning towards Gippal.

"You sure you okay?" Gippal inquired, putting an arm around Baralai's shoulders.

"I'm still tired..." Baralai lied, his eyes scanning the source of those comments, but there was more than one. He sighed, feeling a little more relaxed as he felt Gippal's firm body against his. It gave him the strength to let this comment practically slide by:

"Why did Isaaru leave to begin with? Things were wonderful when he was around."

But, Gippal heard that comment. He turned to Baralai, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Those are people who support Isaaru," Baralai replied, whispering into his friend's ear. "I'll tell you more later." But, the young Praetor couldn't quite decide how much to tell his best friend and when. He would deal with that later. For now, he heard a little boy's voice.

"Baralai!"

"Who's he?" Gippal asked, nudging the Praetor.

Jarred from his thoughts, Baralai looked ahead of him to see a small, black haired boy running straight for him. His smile widened as he knew just who it was.

"Oh, Pacce!"

"Pacce?" Gippal frowned.

Pacce jumped into Baralai's arms before he could answer. The Praetor held the little boy in his arms, running his dark, slender hands through Pacce's hair.

"It's good to see you, Pacce." Baralai said, his hand running down Pacce's round face. He knew that with Pacce around, Isaaru was nearby, but he didn't even think of the former Summoner. Instead he thought of how he could be close to the youngest brother, like the little brother Baralai himself had always wanted, but never could have. Sure, Pacce would be a surefire way to get close to Isaaru, but that wasn't his main reason why he was so happy to see the child here.

"I'm glad your back, Baralai! We found all sorts of cool things here!" Pacce jumped up and down. "I'm a Sphere Hunter, just like Lady Yuna."

Gippal snickered, which irritated Baralai.

"Shut up, please," He demanded through clenched teeth. He softened towards Pacce, who looked at Gippal in awe. "Who is 'we', your brothers?" /Isaaru/.

"No, I met my friends Taro and Hana in Zanarkand, and made a group called the Kinderguardians. We came back here to help Maroda, and explore."

"I see," Baralai nodded, wondering just what the children were exploring, but he would deal with that later. For now, his eyes flickered upward and he froze.

It was Isaaru. The former Summoner stood no more than twenty feet above him his white gloved hands gripping the railing as he leaned forward. Some of his red hair came out of his topknot and wind picked up the strands. Baralai quickly inhaled, his breath nearly catching in his throat as all the emotions he suppressed came right back. Love, admiration, desire, envy, resentment, fury and despair pulled him apart in a hundred different directions, but he didn't show any of it. Instead, he only showed only his sweetest, most charming smile as genuinely as he possibly could. Isaaru showed no emotion, but he stood straight up, gazed at Baralai for a few seconds, turned, and walked back inside the upper levels of the temple.

Baralai sighed, finally realizing that people, including Gippal and Pacce were staring at him with concern.

"What's wrong?" Pacce asked, tugging on the Praetor's coat. "It's only my big brother."

"Uhm, yes," Baralai nodded.

"Baralai, are you sure you're okay?" Gippal looked up to where Isaaru once stood. Only Priests walked there now.

"I'm fine, Gippal," Baralai replied as he ran his slender hand through Pacce's black hair.

"That was Isaaru?" Gippal asked.

The young Praetor bit his lip, "Yes, that was him."

"That's my big brother," Pacce interjected, drawing a smile from Baralai.

"Wow...he's smoking hot."

As soon as Gippal said that, Pacce gasped and Baralai's smile faded immedietly. Grinding his teeth, he glared at his best friend.

"Gippal!"

"What?" Gippal shrugged, grinning a cocky grin, which made Baralai even more tense.

"Would you like to keep your other eye?" Baralai raised his eyebrows, giving a playful, yet menacing smile.

Gippal rubbed the back of his neck, "Uh...sorry..."

"Baralai," Pacce again tugged on Baralai's coat.

"What is it, Pacce?" Baralai's hand moved down to the little boy's shoulder, his fair face showing nothing but affection now.

"He really likes you," Pacce said quickly. "It might not look like it, but he really does."

Baralai looked back up, his dark eyes fixed to the space where Isaaru once stood.

"I know."


	9. Close, yet far

Notes: While writing this chapter, I spent most of the time headdesking. Issaru is like an iron wall. Jesus...Needless to say, this chapter was hard to write. Thank god FF.net has the ability to actually re-load new content in chapters because I bet I'll catch the mistakes AFTER I post this. Go figure. Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

"While I was in Zanarkand, I heard from the tourists about Baralai's first speech as Praetor." Isaaru said, looking over at the red rooftops of the city below. As soon as he saw Baralai, his Al Bhed friend, and Pacce friendly with the both of them, he decided to go back to his room, ignoring everyone. On the balcony of his room, he saw how the people ran to get a glimpse of Baralai, who had just returned from Luca. They were festive, happy and many of them screamed about how there would be peace now. The former Summoner didn't even know these people existed. For him, only Maroda existed now. "He basically said that despite the sweeping changes in Spira, it is important to act slowly, but surely. One thing at a time. All others ways end in tragedy. History has shown that."  
  
"One thing at a time..." Maroda frowned, looking towards the inner temple, where Baralai was no doubt speaking with more of his supporters. "That's how New Yevon got the motto?"  
  
Isaaru nodded, "Yes." He sighed, shut his eyes and tilted his head back. He pictured Baralai making that speech. Perfect poise, polite words, a voice gentle yet clear as a bell, and a beautifully determined demeanor. It made his skin crawl for it reminded Isaaru of just how Baralai rose so quickly in the New Yevon ranks, at the former Summoner's expense. Oh, sure, Baralai had help, much of it from Trema and a slew of young acolytes, but it didn't change the fact that he swiftly outranked Isaaru, and to this day, it angered the former Summoner.  
  
"You okay?" Maroda asked, his hand on Isaaru's shoulder.  
  
"No," He answered quietly. He shook his head, "I can't help what I feel. I never could. I wish you knew what it was like, but you left quickly."  
  
"I wanted to get away from Trema. It made me angry when he demanded that you step down." Maroda shook his head. "I was angrier when you chose to stay."  
  
"Where would I have gone, Maroda?" Isaaru lowered his head. "I worked in Zanarkand out of sheer luck more than anything. I found Cid and he told me his idea. It gave me the opportunity to take my mind out of all that had happened and I got to be close to the ruins I yearned for." He suddenly pressed his lips together as all sorts of memories with Baralai flooded back.  
  
Maroda caught the sudden guard immedietly , "You're not telling me everything."  
  
Isaaru sighed, feeling foolish for being too obvious in his secret keeping. Seeing no point in hiding anymore, he asked Maroda, "Do you want to know more of the history between myself and Baralai?"  
  
"Yes. I think I should know." Maroda nodded. "When I heard that you left, the Youth League was happy to hear about it--"  
  
"Of course," Isaaru interrupted, grinning.  
  
"Heh, yea and that kind of went away when we found out that the Awesome Sphere went missing."  
  
Upon hearing that, Isaaru raised his eyebrows and then smiled, "Which, by the way, I took."  
  
The look on Maroda's face was priceless. Even though Isaaru generally felt uneasy about Machina, he would have given just about anything to record this conversation just to see the look of absolute surprise on his younger brother's face.  
  
"You did what?" He finally asked, still incredulous and Isaaru realized with great amusement that it wasn't going to go away anytime soon.  
  
"Right after Baralai, oh excuse me, Trema, demanded my departure, I bowed gracefully and instead of going to my room to pack up, I went to the hiding place where the Awesome Sphere was kept. I put it in my robes and acted as though nothing had happened. It's why I was never caught."  
  
"That, and the fact that no one would suspect you," Maroda laughed. "You know with 'Yevon's word being law' and all that."  
  
"Yes, that too. I left as quickly as I could with a handful of my most loyal followers. They carried my things as there was no way in the deepest reaches of the Farplane would I ever allow Baralai or Trema access to my property while I was gone. All that remained was furniture that was Bevelle's anyway. When I was finally in Macalania Forest, I asked one of my followers to go to Kilika Temple and hide the Sphere there. I knew that no one would ever suspect its whereabouts."  
  
"Youth League found out! Thanks to me." Maroda beamed, puffing out his chest.  
  
"Eventually," Isaaru nodded. "Anyway, I headed for the Calm Lands because I knew that anywhere else would have been dangerous for me. I knew too much."  
  
"I can imagine."   
  
"That's when I met Cid and ended up in Zanarkand. When Cid had asked for the ruins to be made into a tourist attraction, I actually wanted to kill him." Before Maroda could ask why, Isaaru held up his hand. "Not because he sought to make the place into a business venture, but because he can't keep secrets."  
  
"Al Bhed never could," Maroda commented.  
  
"Especially not Cid. I asked him not to tell anyone in New Yevon that I was there, but Cid looked at me like I was insane. I couldn't tell him why he should conceal me, so I knew he shrugged my request off. When Cid told me that it was allowed for Zanarkand to be open for tourism, I stopped worrying and was surprised that Baralai paid me a visit."  
  
"Yea, I know, but, from what you said, he never the mentioned the Sphere to you."  
  
Isaaru shook his head, "No, of course not. I knew he had to have suspected me, but he couldn't prove it and I would not have admitted it. Many people left Bevelle the same time I did." He shrugged, but wondered if Baralai would bring it up now. He heard that Yuna returned it to New Yevon, but Isaaru knew that Baralai's memory was as long as his was and it was doubtful that the young Praetor would let something as important as the Awesome Sphere slide.  
  
"How was it first found?" Maroda asked, the tone of his voice filled with curiosity. Isaaru wasn't surprised Maroda would ask that. Nothing Maroda did surprised him. It had been like that since childhood.  
  
Isaaru looked towards the main temple again, noticing that a crowd was still there, but it thinned, which meant that Baralai was somewhere inside. Swallowing, he finally answered.  
  
"With Vegnagun." Isaaru remembered how Baralai managed to placate that gargantuan machina and still felt the same awe he did two years ago. That thing sensed hostility and it rose up when Isaaru had gone near it. He stayed back as Baralai told him to, but Isaaru was riveted, both at the younger man and at the weapon. He remembered Baralai's gentle words to the thing, about a nightmare and an unknown young man. The former Summoner suddenly stiffened against the temperate wind.  
  
"What's wrong?" Maroda inquired.   
  
"Nothing is wrong," Isaaru lied through his teeth. "Baralai masterfully manipulated Trema into allowing him to enter the depths. He then did something that threw me off entirely."  
  
"He asked you to go with him," Maroda concluded. "He trusted you."  
  
"I don't believe for a single moment it was about trust," Isaaru countered, knowing deep inside that Maroda may be right, but denying it all the same. "Baralai didn't ask me, he politely ordered me to go. Quite naturally, I questioned why and he said that it was because he needed my powers the way he did in Vio Infinito." Isaaru sighed. "I couldn't say no. It was the way he looked at me, the way he held onto my arms. The way he told me that he knew all that I was feeling and felt nothing but compassion for me and that we should work for each other, not against. He told me that he wanted what we had when we first met." Isaaru lowered his eyes. "I thought it was an attempt to manipulate me, but I somehow couldn't call him on his words. He just looked kind, but very firm."  
  
"So you did as he said."  
  
"Yes." Slowly, Isaaru leaned against the railing and looked up at the sparsely clouded sky. "While in the Temple's many secret depths, Baralai was fiercely protective of me. He had even gone so far as to block me with his staff, so I could not get near any fiends. Sometimes I was grateful, but sometimes it angered me, but while I was tempted to knock his staff away, I never did that. I couldn't. We worked well together as we fought powerful fiends and found new secret passages."  
  
"Which took you to Vegnagun," Maroda looked away, shaking his head. Isaaru didn't have to say yes. "So, you must have been horrified."  
  
Isaaru shut his eyes, the memories of the ram-like weapon vivid, "Horrified, disgusted, sickened, yet not surprised. I walked towards it, I couldn't help it. It was Machina and yet it was very much alive in its hideousness. Its visage was like a fiend's mask and its eyes burned red when I came near it. That was when Baralai told me to stay back and I did. I watched him walk towards that thing as though it were a toy. He spoke to it, I don't know what he said exactly, but I thought I heard something about someone else's nightmare and how it affected him and his friends in the Den of Woe."  
  
"That's why Nooj wanted it sealed!" Maroda exclaimed, knocking Isaaru out of his trance.  
  
"Yes," Isaaru nodded, knowing of the many pyrefly ghosts that inhabited that area, but he chose to say nothing of it. Even now, Isaaru couldn't bring himself to reveal everything to anyone, not even his beloved younger brother. "It should have been sealed years ago, but it was obviously used to test the Crimson Squad, and Baralai was among them."  
  
"Whoa! Baralai was in the Crimson Squad? I mean, I knew that the Youth League and New Yevon worked together to seal the Den of Woe, but I didn't know anything about the Crimson Squad, except in rumors because I would hear about how the Yevon Priests wanted the members dead." Maroda shook his head in disbelief. "I guess that was them, right?"  
  
"You guess right," Isaaru replied, inwardly shocked that he would reveal so much like this. Knowing that Maroda's next question would be 'so how did you know Baralai was in the Crimson Squad?', he continued on with Vegnagun. "Anyway," he said this in a sharp tone which silenced any questions from Maroda that would divert the conversation, "he told the machina that neither of us meant any harm because neither of us knew how to use it. I couldn't hear anything more, but eventually Vegnagun just darkened and didn't move. When I saw that it was harmless, I turned to leave and I saw something on a ledge to the right of me."  
  
"The Awesome Sphere, right?" Maroda prodded, but indicated that he would wait for an answer.  
  
Despite the air being only mildly warm, Isaaru removed the dark blue layer of his robes, "Yes." He walked inside his room and folded the outer robe over a chair. Left with his sea green and white inner robe, he walked back out to the balcony. Resting on elbow on the rail, he looked intently at his brother, who was also staring, but mainly with concern.  
  
"I'm okay, Maroda," Isaaru smiled, noting that the crowds had finally either gone back home or went shopping. To Isaaru, this meant that the Praetor must be deep inside the Temple, probably on his way to his own room. "When I saw it, Baralai told me to stay where I was and he bounded up to the platform, took what was inside the old, broken sphere cam and came back with the Sphere. He stood right in front of me when he looked into it. I could see his eyes, widened with same curiosity both you and Pacce have." Isaaru looked away, remembering how the light of the sphere danced in Baralai's dark eyes. "He whispered that it was awesome."  
  
"I bet it was," Maroda nodded, he grinned. "So, that's how the 'Awesome Sphere' got its name."  
  
"Indeed," Isaaru replied. "And before you ask, yes, I did see what was in the sphere," he narrowed his yes, "and no, you don't need to know what's in it." Maroda frowned, and before he could ask 'why not' or say something like 'But, there's no harm in it now', Isaaru said, "Not now. It's not as important as everyone thought it was." Only, it actually was important. Since Baralai had returned with his friends, this would mean that Vegnagun is either gone or sealed away, but what of the apparition? Even though it was in the form of dark pyreflies, he saw that it matched with the youth in the Sphere. Isaaru first thought that it was only one of the pyrefly ghosts that wandered around because of unfinished business. They were usually harmless. But, when he actually saw it, he knew it wasn't. Isaaru had sensed much malevolence in that particular being. His thoughts were suddenly jarred when Maroda waved his hands in front of Isaaru's face.  
  
"You okay?" Maroda asked. "Are you worried about Baralai?"  
  
"No," Isaaru answered quickly, his eyes suddenly widening as everything suddenly grew dark. "What happened?"  
  
"It's nothing. Just a cloud going over the sun, that's all," Maroda shrugged. He shook his head, his eyes clearly showing concern. "Isaaru--"  
  
"I'm fine, Maroda," he snapped, tightly hugging himself. He suddenly felt cold, even though it was far from that. "Just that recalling Vegnagun was unnerving."  
  
"I don't know what I would have done if I saw that thing..." Maroda let out a breath as he looked up at the clouds that moved away from the sun.  
  
"I don't think Baralai did either, but he dealt with it rather nicely," Isaaru tilted his head, his red hair falling across his face. "I don't know what to say...there's so much to say. Forgive me, Maroda, I can't..." Isaaru felt heavy as he leaned forward against Maroda's strong body.   
  
"It's okay," Maroda said, trying to comfort Isaaru, but it only made him feel worse. His younger brother would never have Baralai's soothing voice or touch. Isaaru pulled away, and began untying the second layer of his robes. He walked in his room, Maroda close behind.  
  
As he threw the robe on top of the first layer, Isaaru turned to his brother, "Vegnagun was the turning point for me. I had doubts from the very beginning. At first, I only doubted Trema." Isaaru sat on the edge of the firm, yet comfortable bed. Before saying anything, he took quite a few deep breaths, knowing that his brother was waiting with uncharacteristic patience. He knew he didn't have much time left before Baralai either called for him or barged in the room himself, yet he just couldn't bring himself to lay out all the details of what happened and what he in the past two years. "Then, after awhile, I began to wonder about Baralai himself."  
  
"When you found out that he was in the Crimson Squad?" Maroda asked.  
  
"No," Isaaru kept his head down. "It was...was...the fact that everything seemed to go his way. He became Trema's favorite quite quickly, but I knew that Trema was someone Baralai needed out of the way. I certainly did." Isaaru paused, remembering how foolish he felt for thinking that Baralai would support him instead of vying for power. "Somehow I thought that either he would support me for my becoming Praetor or we would be equals and share power." Maroda chuckled and Isaaru found himself doing the same. "You're thinking what I'm thinking?"  
  
"I don't know," Maroda shrugged. "I wish I could say something about Baralai, but I can't, other than if I were in your position, maybe I would have thought the same thing."  
  
"It was unusually naive of me..." Isaaru swallowed, licking his lips as he willed himself to go on. Even though it was probably well after one o' clock by now, he just wanted to sleep, but he couldn't leave his brother hanging entirely. "But, I don't entirely blame myself. I mean," Isaaru grit his teeth as he felt a very painful memory surface, "do you know what Trema did as soon as you left?"  
  
"Thankfully, not too many people looked at me like I had nine heads. Eh, they figured one handsome head was enough."  
  
Isaaru straightened up, knowing without having met him, that it was the Al Bhed. Anyone could have punched the Summoner in the stomach. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't do anything. /It's come...the time has come...not one...but two...I know Baralai will tell him everything...I just know...if not now, soon.../.  
  
"Are you okay?" Maroda asked, grabbing Isaaru's hands.  
  
No, Isaaru wasn't okay. He was far from it, and he was even less than okay, when he heard Baralai's light, soft voice.  
  
"Don't worry, that'll come when everything dies down. I'll protect you, my Gippal."  
  
Despite Maroda's supportive grip, Isaaru doubled over, his chin resting on his brother's shoulder. "Not now...not now..."  
  
"Oh! This is my big brother's room. You want to see Isaaru?" Hearing Pacce's high-pitched voice, Isaaru quickly pointed at the door.  
  
"Maroda!" He whispered, his voice harsh. Knowing exactly what Isaaru wanted, Maroda ran swiftly to the door, locking it.  
  
"Pacce, Isaaru is asleep. Come back later."  
  
"Asleep? But, it's the afternoon!" Pacce protested.  
  
"Pacce, it doesn't matter. Isaaru's tired and he needs his rest!" Maroda snapped.  
  
Isaaru strained his ears to hear either Gippal or Baralai's voice, but all he heard was Zetu telling Pacce that it was rude to interrupt someone while they are resting and that he should go and play. Isaaru knew that Pacce was pouting, but the boy said his see you laters and ran off to re-join his Kinderguardian friends. He would have sighed in relief if Baralai's entourage just walked on, but it seemed that only Gippal and Zetu did. That fact made Isaaru's throat dry.  
  
"Baralai?" Gippal called, "Come on, he's asleep, right?"  
  
Quickly, but quietly walking to the double door, Isaaru put the palm of his hand on the sleek dark oak that was the only barrier between himself and Baralai. All one of them had to do was open the door or try to in Baralai's case. Who'd move first? Isaaru certainly wasn't going to, so that left the Praetor.  
  
/He's knows it's a lie/. Isaaru replaced his hand with his forehead, feeling the cool wood against it. He felt a little better, but not much. /He is waiting. Forgive me, Baralai, but I cannot face you now/.  
  
"Praetor," Maroda began, "with all due respect, you shouldn't bother Isaaru now. Like I said, he's tired."  
  
Isaaru knew what Baralai was thinking, not saying, thinking. Baralai would not utter anything, instead he would study the door and take what felt like forever to think of what to do. All this while studying the many patterns the oak made on the door, the gold color of the knobs, picturing Maroda behind the door, and Isaaru avoiding everything.   
  
"Baralai, you heard him," Gippal said, and Isaaru was glad that he was there.  
  
"You will see him soon enough, Praetor," Zetu interjected gently, his voice like a stern but kind father. Isaaru hoped that soon would translate to much later. Apparently it was more than enough because he sensed Baralai moving away, and it made Isaaru want to slide down the door onto the soft carparet below.  
  
Gippal spoke again, but neither brother could hear it, and Isaaru neither knew nor cared what they were talking about now. He knew he'd care later, so why bother now?  
  
"Thank you, Maroda," Isaaru breathed. He plopped right back down on the bed, his blue eyes scanning the smooth white ceiling.   
  
"We're brothers," Maroda replied, flopping right next to him, questions and conversation forgotten for the time being.   
  
Smiling, Isaaru reached behind his head and removed the tie that held up his dark red hair. Isaaru pondered just how long it would be before he and Baralai finally confront face to face. Maybe it would be more pleasant than he thought. After all, Baralai did smile to him when they first saw each other outside. However, the smile, no matter how sweet it looked, could have easily been faked and part of a calculated maneuver. Isaaru was used to Baralai's calculated maneuvers. It's how he managed to gain the acolyte following needed to overtake Isaaru, overthrow Trema(and make it look as though the old man left because he was only asked to), and become the Praetor of New Yevon.   
  
No way it would be pleasant, Isaaru decided, and it wouldn't quite be his fault either. The last time they spoke was in Zanarkand and Baralai's last words were,  
  
"I should have let Auron kill you." 


	10. Isaaru

Notes: Phew...finally got this chapter out. It's certainly long, and I hope I put down enough without revealing too much. I just hope it's a good chapter as I think this story has a long way to go before it ends. Anyway, enjoy!

_Isaaru._

The name didn't pass Baralai's lips as he walked around his office, but it reverberated in his ears as though he screamed it.

_Isaaru._

The name whispered through the room for each silent step Baralai took, for every beat of his heart, and for every breath he took.

_Isaaru._

Baralai now stood behind his dark oak desk, his dark eyes scanning every inch carefully. Everytime he saw an item out of place, _Isaaru_, came to mind. A black ink pen was moved. _Isaaru. _A shimmering green crystal paperweight was not on the left where it was supposed to be. _Isaaru. _The stack of reports were non-existent. _Isaaru._ Notes were put in the drawers. _Isaaru._ Not even the chair was in its proper place after the former Summoner clearly left with his belongings. Baralai shut his eyes. _Isaaru. _He could almost see the pyreflies surrounding him in the Farplane as the last time he thought of Isaaru before now was when his own memories mocked him. When he was finally saved, Baralai didn't even think of the possession by Shuyin. He felt such relief and joy that he never thought he would feel anything else. Now that Isaaru was within twenty paces, everything just flooded right back.

"You okay, Baralai?"

_Gippal._

When Baralai looked up, he couldn't help but smile. Almost immedietly, he felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. This was exactly how he felt when he saw his best friend right after the defeat of Vegnagun and Shuyin, and it lasted until _Isaaru_ finally etched his way into Baralai's mind after days of not being thought of at all.

"I'm okay, Gippal," he finally answered.

"You sure?" Gippal took a few steps closer to the desk, his boots making no sound on the carpet. Not even the bag of clothes he carried with him made a sound as the younger man dropped it by his side. Just seeing that reminded Baralai that he needed to change his clothes. He didn't want to imagine how long he had been wearing the same clothes. Sure, they were clean, but that didn't change the fact that it had to have been days since he's changed into anything else.

"I just need a change of clothes," Baralai sighed, now impatient to raid his closet.

"No, that's not it," Gippal shook his head.

"It's obvious that Isaaru is bothering you, Praetor".

_Zetu. Zetu Zuke._

Like Isaaru, the bald, well muscled, blue-robed man was a Summoner. Like Isaaru, he was a "failed" Summoner. But, Zetu had quit in the Calm Lands because he did not want his sixteen year old son to grow up without parents. Isaaru was defeated by the Lady Yuna and almost killed by Auron. His Pilgrimage was simply over. Baralai remembered that vividly because he was the one who saved Isaaru's life. One other notable difference was that Zetu had the famed black mage Lulu as a Guardian, same as Yuna. Isaaru had his two younger brothers. When Zetu returned to Bevelle, it was to assist Baralai in whatever way he could. He never left again. With Isaaru--Baralai shook his head. He knew why Isaaru left and had a good idea as to why he returned. What he did not know were the details of the return.

"Yes," Baralai sighed.

"Why is he bothering you?" Gippal asked, his blond head tilted to the side. He clearly looked like someone who was thrust into someone else's drama.

"I'll tell you when I finish making sure everything is in order," he answered a little too curtly. He sighed an apology, but Gippal seemed even more confused.

"Isaaru has taken everything of his and put them back into his own office," Zetu replied. "He made certain of doing that before your arrival."

"I see," was the only thing that came out of Baralai's pouty mouth as he led the two men out of his office and into his room.

"Was it really necessary to make sure to look over every speck of your office?" Gippal asked as he almost bounced off the large bed covered in green satin sheets. "I mean, I know you're anal, but come on!"

"You knew him well, yes?" Zetu inquired as he stood close to Gippal. When the Al Bhed nodded, Zetu also nodded. "I've known Baralai for many years." He smiled at Baralai, who also smiled before opening his closet door to paw through the sheer amount of clothing that hung there.

"Really, how?"

"I was a family friend."

"Zetu knew my parents for many years," Baralai added. "He knows many people."

"Do you know Isaaru?" Gippal asked. Baralai had to ball his tan skinned hand into a fist to keep it from shaking, but he didn't interrupt.

"Only for as long as Baralai has," was the oldest man's reply.

_Two years. For two years, I dreamed of him in my bed, and for two years, I suffered because of him._ _Did I ever really know him? We closed to each other, and yet, I still..._

"I can't say I knew him well..." Baralai stated, causing the other two to look at him. He shook his head, "I mean, I spent two years wanting to know the truth behind the Den of Woe. I couldn't trust anyone, except for Zetu, and, well, Isaaru didn't trust me either."

"Figures," Gippal's lips were nearly twisted in a sneer. Baralai understood that. The Al Bhed didn't like things to be close and they certainly didn't like secrets. At least Gippal didn't. "I do know that he didn't look happy to see you."

Baralai turned around just in time to see Zetu give him a questioning glance. The young Praetor shook his head. _He doesn't need to know. Not now..._ When Zetu nodded, Baralai smiled once more.

"It's complicated, Gippal." Baralai reached back and began to undo the cord the tied his high yellow collar. "Isaaru is a political rival."

"And things are more complicated with recent events," Zetu added, giving Baralai a disapproving glance.

Noticing that look, Gippal asked, "Is it because I'm here?"

"That's not the only reason," Zetu answered before Baralai could.

"It's the speech the three of us gave, the fact that I took that ground machina, Isaaru's supporters," Baralai sighed. "People are still wondering what will happen with the Youth League and the Machine Faction." He removed his coat and folded it before putting it in the laundry basket.

"I didn't get killed here," Gippal shrugged, his smile cocky as always. "Rikku and Rin have been coming and going here fine."

"There is still prejudice against the Al Bhed," Zetu stated, his eyes downcast. "I don't think you have to worry about being harmed, but don't be surprised if some people might be cold."

The young Al Bhed scoffed, "Eh, screw 'em!"

_That's my Gippal!_ Baralai chuckled as he began removing his silk yellow belt. When his white folded shirt came undone, he took that off too. Since Baralai was close to both men, he had no shame in undressing in front of them. He had always been that way. Zetu also laughed.

"It's no wonder you two get along so well," he said.

Which reminded Baralai as he began moving his brown leather cod piece, "Does Isaaru know about Gippal and me?"

"Yes," Zetu replied.

_Good._

"So, what if he does?" Gippal frowned.

"I was just wondering." Which was only a half-truth, but Baralai decided that it would have to do for now. He sincerely hoped that Isaaru would feel jealous. Leaning against the closet door to remove his shin wraps, Baralai realized how incredibly childish such a sentiment was. Sure, he was only twenty, but that was hardly an excuse.

"Why would Isaaru care?"

Thankful for Zetu's silence, Baralai selected the clothes that he would wear before walking over to his bed and sitting in front of the dresser. There was a mirror on top, but Baralai barely glanced at it before removing his boots and socks, "I don't know that he would." That was pure honesty. He almost froze when he felt Gippal's hand on his bare shoulder.

"Then don't worry about it."

"I don't intend to," he lied to his best friend. Baralai couldn't help but worry, but not about how Isaaru might feel about Gippal.

"However you may feel," Zetu began as he sat beside Gippal, "Isaaru will have to be dealt with soon."

"Dealt with?" Gippal wondered.

"He just means I have to meet with him soon," Baralai replied. He honestly wished that soon meant later, but he knew it wouldn't be wise to procrastinate with Isaaru. As soon as he threw his beige pantaloons on the floor, he put on a tighter pair of black pants topped with a folded green tunic held together by a black and silver belt.

"He dreads it as much as you do, Baralai," Zetu added.

"I'm sure he does." The Praetor honestly wasn't sure what to believe as he put on his black knee high boots. If Isaaru did dread their eventual confrontation, he had every reason to given what had happened. If he didn't, Baralai wouldn't be surprised. Either way, he knew he had to find some way to gain the upper hand against the Summoner or he would never win him over. As for Gippal, he put his hands on his head.

"What is going on here?" He asked.

Fully dressed, Baralai looked in the mirror and smiled. He could see Gippal also smiling, but shaking his head.

"Okay, you look great," Gippal added. "I'd just like to know why it seems like Isaaru effects everyone's mood here. What happened?"

Reaching for a couple of dark green jade bracelets, Baralai pressed his lips together to find the right words. He wondered what would be the right thing to say and when. He told Gippal everything. It was like that from the Crimson Squad days, but now, things were more difficult. Baralai couldn't imagine Gippal being happy to hear everything about Isaaru. Fortunately, Zetu found the right words.

"Isaaru was an ally in the beginning. You see, Baralai saved his life."

With his jade bracelets on, Baralai sat down next to Gippal and decided to finish what Zetu started, "Isaaru had fought the Lady Yuna in a battle of Aeons. He fought out of loyalty, but he was also threatened by Maester Kinoc."

Gippal's one eye widened, "Why?"

"Maester Kinoc told Isaaru to deal with the traitors, but he never said who they were. When Isaaru questioned it, Seymour had ordered guards on his brothers, Maroda and Pacce. Kinoc told Isaaru that if he should fail, then his brothers would be killed."

"How disgusting," Gippal gasped. Zetu nodded.

"I took pity on him, so I decided that I would help him," Baralai continued, narrowing his eyes. "I was also very angry. Not at Seymour, his actions were not the actions of someone who was sane, but at Kinoc. That man knew exactly what he was doing and that in my eyes made him worse than Seymour could ever be."

Gippal said nothing. Instead, he lowered his head. Baralai sensed that he didn't quite agree, and honestly didn't blame him. The Al Bhed "Home" was destroyed on Seymour's order. Not wanting to chance an argument, Baralai continued.

"Anyway, I was hiding in the shadows when I saw Isaaru confront the Lady Yuna and her Guardians. He begged her forgiveness and claimed that Temple word was law. I was certain he believed that, but I knew the real reason why he fought. I also realized that he had become a Summoner not through being gifted, but through sheer force of will."

When Gippal frowned, Zetu explained, "Most Summoners become who they are because they have the gift for it. I had it and so did Lady Yuna, but not Isaaru. He clearly had to work harder than the others, so the Aeons drained him of more energy."

"At any rate," Baralai continued. "Yuna defeated him after his third Aeon had fallen. He was on his knees, but he refused any help, but he helped them by telling then of the exit. For some reason, the Legendary Guardian Auron tried to kill him--"

"What!?" Gippal drew back, a look of absolute shock painting his handsome face. "There's no way!"

Baralai only shrugged, "I saw it, Gippal. I had to threaten to send him..."

"Send him?"

"He was an unsent. He admitted it. When he saw that I could do it, he ran away." Baralai sighed. He removed his blue headband and walked over to the dresser and found a green headband.

"You know, I met him just before Home was attacked," Gippal commented once Baralai sat back down. "I remember him saying that you had to be a jackass to change the world."

Zetu chuckled, but Baralai didn't quite find that very funny. Instead he shook his head.

"That 'jackass' almost cost a Summoner his life." To this day, it still angered Baralai. "Auron had no reason to even think of killing him. Isaaru wouldn't have done anything."

"Auron had no way of knowing that," Zetu argued. "He was just playing it safe."

"I can understand that, but I just didn't want to stand aside and do nothing," Baralai said, deciding to go ahead and spill what remained in his first meeting with Isaaru. At first Gippal didn't really respond, except to smile at the mention of Kinoc's death.

"Yea, it figures," he said. "From what I've heard, he was afraid of his own shadow. It's no surprise his worst fear came true. But, I do think it would have been more fitting if Isaaru or one of the Crimson Squad candidates did it."

"I left for awhile because of him," Zetu recalled. "Thankfully, my vacation didn't have to last very long, and I was pleased to see Baralai in Bevelle."

"Yea, I guess you would be," Gippal sounded a little absent. Baralai closed his eyes as he remembered how foolish he was when he asked his best friend to join him in Bevelle. He didn't want to recall all that right now, so he rested his head against Gippal's shoulder.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Gippal answered as he wrapped an arm around Baralai's shoulder. "So, what about Isaaru? I know he ruled Bevelle. How did you two like that?"

Zetu was the one who answered, and when he did, he sounded like he was trying to find the right word, "He was...efficient."But, we had no way of knowing how good he could have been because Trema arrived soon after Sin's defeat."

"Ah..." Baralai sighed. The Al Bhed held him closer.

"What's wrong?"

"I just remember the first thing Trema did to Isaaru."

"What did he do?"

It was Zetu who answered again, "Trema threw Isaaru in Vio Purifico."

Gippal shot up as if someone electrocuted him, "What? Why?"

"Trema was afraid of him," Baralai answered. "I mean, you don't do something like that unless there's something about the person that you fear. I think it was because Isaaru wasn't the sort who yielded easily. Such a person could be seen as threatening, and I don't mean in a paranoid way either."

"You saved him again?" Gippal inquired, his lips curled in a knowing smile.

"Yes, I did," Baralai nodded.

"Then, he owes you his life."

_That's my Gippal._ This time, he didn't feel as though he could fly. Instead, he felt that Gippal was right, but it served only to remind him of what he had told Isaaru just one year ago.

_I should have let Auron kill you._

Baralai began to wonder how long it should be before he says anything about his true feelings for Isaaru to his best friend. He did propose marriage to Isaaru twice and while politics was involved, so was love. He had known Gippal for two years and he knew about Gippal's relationship with Rikku. But, this was different. Gippal and Rikku did date, but they were mostly like brother and sister. Besides, it was all before Baralai met him at Bikanel, so it had to have been easy for Gippal to run his mouth about it. Then again, it was always easy for Gippal to run his mouth about just about anything. A poke on his side jarred his thoughts_. My Gippal_.

"Thinking of me?" Gippal grinned.

"Uhm, I was just thinking of how to describe what went on for two years."

Gippal shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I just wanted to get an idea of what had happened. I don't need to know everything."

Relieved, Baralai continued, "Anyway, Isaaru and I worked together for quite some time, but I wanted more than just to find out about Vegnagun and the Den of Woe. I wanted to rule Bevelle myself."

"Hah, figures!" Gippal laughed with Zetu joining him.

Baralai rolled his eyes before saying, "All I wanted was to make Yevon truly new, and I knew I could do it. I wanted Isaaru working with me because him working against me would have only created a division that I didn't need. But, it wasn't that simple. Despite what Trema had done to Isaaru, he knew that he couldn't just throw him away, so he kept him close, but only in the sense that one kept a powerful enemy close. Isaaru knew this, but he also knew that the only way to survive and remain in a high position was to constantly show his value to Trema while not being threatening."

Gippal nodded, "And it worked, didn't it?"

"Yes," Baralai took a deep breath. "But, I quickly outranked Isaaru and became Trema's right hand. At that point, Isaaru began to resist me. At first, he wasn't obvious about it and neither were his supporters, but as my power grew, so did Isaaru's resentment."

"Oh," was all Gippal could say.

"Still, he worked with me because he really didn't have any other choice. After finding Vegnagun, things became so tense that I eventually persuaded Trema to throw Isaaru out of Bevelle." Baralai fell silent. That was a very small part of what really happened. He knew that, but he couldn't bring himself to go into full detail. It was simply too painful.

"His followers were not pleased by this," Zetu added. "However, they knew that they had nothing to gain by working against Baralai, so they supported him. Once Trema went 'missing', Baralai became Praetor almost unanimously. Isaaru's followers were a large part of that."

"Just that they were very half-hearted about it," Baralai cautioned. "They took him for granted, and I don't think they're going to do that again."

"So they're loyal," Gippal stated. He didn't even have to ask.

"Yes," Baralai whispered. He thought he had turned as green as his shirt just thinking about it.

"How loyal?" Gippal leaned on his hands, his one eye narrowed.

Zetu answered, "They would do just about anything for him. They're hardly sheep, but they're like a cult."

"A cult"? The young Al Bhed sounded incredulous.

"My supporters are also loyal," Baralai said. "But, while I have more, they're not like Isaaru's. I want that loyalty."

Gippal shook his head, "No you don't." Both Baralai and Zetu stared at him intently, urging him to continue. "You said they'd do just about anything for Isaaru? I remember a couple of them mentioning that they would go into the Farplane for him. That kind of loyalty isn't admirable. It's just evil."

"If you think it's evil, then you must consider Isaaru himself to be evil," Zetu answered. "His loyalty is of that nature."

"Yea, look where it got him!" Was Gippal's curt reply.

"It got him to rule Bevelle twice!" Baralai snapped. They both suddenly fell silent and Gippal lowered his head. They both knew why Isaaru managed to gain such power in Bevelle.

Finally, Gippal spoke, "That wasn't the only reason and you know it."

"Whatever the reasons, Isaaru has ruled Bevelle when no one else could or would." The interjection from Zetu shut both young men up again. "The first time, I could accept that he may have been lucky to have been alive and at the right place at the right time. He proved his worth that time. It's why Trema never tried to outright get rid of him. The second time?" Zetu shook his bald head and looked like he was about to explode in laughter. "He truly showed that he had merit."

Baralai raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"Just before he arrived in Bevelle, everything was a mess as it was two years ago. Maroda was the first to arrive. Since he was a Youth League member, people were not pleased to see him, so while he was trying to help, they were trying to hurt him."

Gippal rolled his eyes, "Oh, geez..."

Baralai merely cocked his head as Zetu continued, "They could never get to him, and the ones who could found themselves unconscious."

"Of course," was all the young Praetor could come up with. It was common knowledge that Maroda was among the best fighters on Spira. Baralai remembered seeing him in action and was relieved that he never directly took him on. While Baralai himself knew that he could probably defeat most people in the world, he was quite confident that Maroda wouldn't be one of them. Still, he always did wonder who would win in a fight should he ever decide to challenge Isaaru's younger brother.

"Then, the Kinderguardians arrived."

"The group that Pacce is part of?" Gippal inquired. "They hunt spheres, right?"

"Yes," Zetu nodded.

"They're also fighters," Baralai added. "Gifted ones..." He could just see Pacce growing up to be very similar to Maroda. Zetu quietly agreed.

"Indeed. In fact, while the guards were chasing Maroda, the Kingerguardians defeated many of them."

"Wow..." Gippal chuckled. Baralai remained silent as he continued to listen.

"Eventually, the guards managed to capture both Maroda and Pacce. That's when Isaaru arrived. He demanded that the guards unhand them. When they didn't he said, 'unhand them right now or I will smite each and every one of you!' Both of the younger men gasped, but Zetu prattled on. "I knew he'd do it and so did the Yevon guards. His followers were ecstatic to see him and so the guards had no choice but to obey. Then, he took over. Any resistance was quashed by both Isaaru himself and those who support him. From then on, New Yevon was put back together again."

Baralai crossed one leg over the other, "For that, I am grateful, but he's heavy handed."

"It worked," Gippal replied. "I wouldn't have been quite as forceful, but if I had brothers, I'd want to protect them too."

"I think he went a little too far," Baralai countered. "He thought he could threaten first and ask questions later."

"The guards are on your side, Baralai, so I can imagine them being a little resistant to Isaaru," Zetu replied.

"Still...I never wanted him to be the Praetor. He's better off under me."

Zetu muttered an almost snide, "Oh", but Gippal was more direct in his sarcasm.

"Yea, I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that."

"I thought you two would have more faith in me than that!" Baralai grinned. "Goodness, it's not like I'm going to bludgeon him into submission." Zetu stood up, smiling.

"You probably should. That being said, do you intend to go to the Healers? I think it's necessary since you have been away for quite some time."

That question made Baralai frown. It actually never occurred to him to do so. He did have some dreams about his possession by Shuyin after leaving the Farplane, but his friends were with him and that made everything easier for him. He certainly understood Zetu's concern though. After all, he was in the Farplane and the Healers had every right to make certain that their Praetor was okay.

"I will soon," Baralai replied. "But, I think it can wait. First things first."

"Isaaru?" Gippal asked, giving Baralai a knowing look.

"Yes."

_Isaaru._


	11. Confrontation

_Author Notes: Well, here it is. What many people have no doubt been waiting for. I really stuggled with this because I was wondering if I revealed too little or too much and whatever. Bla bla bla. All I know is that I put out what I thought was appropriate, even though it got a little more intense than how the two men usually are. I spellchecked this, but my grammar check is useless, so if there's any booboos, let me know and I'll fix. I hope no one is disappointed in this since it's more dramatic than a show of political smarts, IMO. Anyway, enjoy!_

Isaaru couldn't describe how he felt. His stomach hurt, but only slightly. His skin tingled, but only just enough to notice. He wasn't sick, not physically anyway. As he lay next to his brother, Isaaru could only conclude that it was malaise, a vague feeling of bodily discomfort at the beginning of an illness.

"Are you okay, Isaaru?" Maroda asked, putting his hand on Isaaru's arm.

"I wish I could say that I am, but I'm not," he replied through a sigh. "I'm not physically ill, I just feel ill period."

"It's Baralai, isn't it?"

_Baralai_. Isaaru groaned, "Why did you have to mention his name?"

"Because I know he's the problem. I mean, the problem that you have with him."

Isaaru snuggled against the pillow. He moved some of his red hair from his face. "Okay, it is Baralai. Just a little awhile go, he was less than a foot away from me. I know he wants to see me as soon as he can. He's itching for it."

"Do you really think he'll meet you right away? I'd want to rest if I were him." Maroda rolled on his back. "Just take a day or three off."

"Hmph. Baralai is not like that." Isaaru remained on his side, but he propped himself up on his elbow, his red hair falling across the side of his angular face. "To be truthful though, it's hard to say what he will do. I know that he will either call a meeting with the Council or just meet me. Possibly both, but not neither."

"What do you think he's doing now?"

After that question, Isaaru also rolled on his back. "Having a threesome with Gippal and Zetu." He rolled his eyes.

Maroda laughed. "I barely know Baralai, and I don't think he'd do something like that."

"No, of course not," Isaaru said before sighing. "I do know, that they're probably discussing things, and I know that it would eventually be about me."

"I guess that's only natural," Maroda mused. "Do you think Baralai will tell the Al Bhed everything?"

"I honestly don't know," Isaaru replied, despite thinking a short while ago that Baralai would. "They're best friends." He sighed again. "Baralai has been guilty of harboring secrets before. It's how he defeated Trema, so maybe he'll conceal some things from his 'friend'."

"Would he really do that to a friend?"

"Who knows? But, knowing Baralai, there's no way he'd tell Gippal about his 'proposals' to me."

"If they're 'best friends with benefits', maybe Baralai would keep that a secret," Maroda shrugged. "I just don't know him well enough to be sure."

Isaaru frowned. "Best friends with benefits?"

"Yea. That's when two people are friends first, but they have sex. Like "bosom buddies" or "sex buddies."

"What a dangerously foolish thing to do," Isaaru scoffed. "Such things are complicated. You can't just be friends and do things like that. There's a lot of emotion involved. Their bodies speak to each other and such physical intimacy can create attachment that can go well beyond friends or even strangers. Believe me, if that Gippal knows, he will not be pleased, even if they are simply best friends."

"Even if Baralai keeps it a secret, there's no way he can hide it forever," Maroda said.

"No, of course not," Isaaru replied as he played with a lock of hair that fell past his shoulders. "The Al Bhed will find out one way or the other. If Baralai wants to contain the damage that will result, then he will tell the Al Bhed himself. If he wants a friendship to end, then he will keep it a secret until Gippal does find out."

"Do you care?"

"To be honest, I do. I don't know the Al Bhed, but from what I've seen of him, he seems to have an ego." Isaaru said, but then he shrugged. "I wish I knew everything, but I don't. It's just hard to say what could happen, Maroda. All I know is that the Al Bhed looked up at me and he seemed very confident, easygoing, like the sort of person who knows that everything will be okay. That's just a distant impression though. That said, I don't like to see someone who has nothing to do with my trouble with Baralai get hurt, even if he is a stranger to me."

"I can understand that," Maroda put his hands behind his head. "It seems Gippal's always been caught in the middle though, don't you think?"

"I know it," Isaaru replied, nodding. "First it's the Youth League against New Yevon, and now it's Baralai against me."

"Except this time, Gippal will choose a side, and I'm pretty sure it won't be yours."

Isaaru sighed, "Which means I could be double-teamed. Agh." Isaaru put his arm over his eyes. "It makes my stomach knot just thinking of it, but it's Baralai that's causing it."

"You let him get to you-" Maroda began.

"What do you expect me to do? After what I've said to him? What I've done? Baralai is not the most forgiving person in the world."

"Neither are you," Maroda chuckled.

"Oh, that's rich, Maroda," Isaaru moved his arm to glare at his younger brother. "I've managed to forgive you for hindering my efforts of being an only child."

"And that took you, what? A decade?"

Isaaru laughed. He couldn't help it and he didn't want to. "I thought it took eighteen years."

"So, it's true then!" Maroda grinned. "Memory _is_ the first to go when you get older!"

Isaaru sat up and propped himself against the pillows and headboard. He smiled. "Could be why Trema wanted to erase the past."

"Yea, he forgot it all!"

The two brothers shared a laugh. Isaaru felt pleasantly surprised that the mention of Trema's name would bring about humor, but he supposed it was better than seething over it. He'd been doing that for two years, but it was mainly Baralai he seethed over. He could have been ninety years old and he would have never been able to forget that.

"It's nice I could laugh about Trema now," Isaaru said. "Do you still want to know what Trema did to me as soon as he took my office?"

Maroda sat up. "Yes, of course I do."

"He threw me in prison."

Maroda could have picked up his jaw from his lap. "He did what?"

"He threw me in prison." Isaaru shook his head. Before Maroda could ask why, Isaaru continued. "He saw me as a threat. He clearly did. I told him that I was always loyal and that I have served Yevon faithfully. Guess what he told me?"

"Only when it suited you?" Maroda asked with a snicker he couldn't control.

Isaaru didn't mind. He understood, and even smiled. "Yes. I suppose that could be said of me." He shrugged. "Very well. Belief in The Rule of Law does not mean mindless. What really upset me was when Trema told me that what got me in trouble was 'my face behind the mask'." He grit teeth just thinking about it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maroda asked, frowning.

"I guess it means that I'm not as good at hiding myself as I thought," Isaaru replied. He looked towards the curtains and watched the wind pick them up. They looked like ghosts to him. "I guess it shouldn't matter. After all, it came from a man who wanted to make everything and everyone 'pastless'." Isaaru shook his head. "What hurt was that it was in front of Baralai, who visited me while I was imprisoned."

"Not to gloat?"

"No, of course not. He just wanted to make sure that I was careful, that's all. He didn't want my emotions getting the best of me." Isaaru wanted to roll his eyes, but he decided not to. "You know the rest. At least for the most part."

"I wish I could have stayed with you, but I couldn't. You know that." Maroda lowered his head.

"I understand perfectly," Isaaru ran his fingers through his younger brother's black hair. "One such as you? One who believed in change as swift as a storm would want little to do those who are more resistant to change? I don't blame you for leaving. At least you had somewhere to go."

"The Youth League," Maroda nodded. "It's too bad we had to fight so much," A dawning appeared to overcome Maroda's features. "I've seen Baralai fight. He's good, he's really good."

"I know," Isaaru replied, remembering his own training and how it had pushed aside in favor of Sorcery and Summoning. "It kind of makes me regret putting my physical fighting behind magic." Isaaru shook his head. "I made my choice." He stood up and walked over to his robes, but he didn't put them on.

"I think he'd still kick your ass though," Maroda said while stretching.

"Oh, I'm sure he would. He's gifted like you and Pacce are."

"Not quite," Maroda smirked. "I've beaten him."

"You have?" Isaaru gasped. He remembered Maroda's prowess as a Guardian and as a Fighter for the Youth League. He remembered Baralai too. What he didn't remember was the two of the fighting. Isaaru figured that he must have missed it. Hardly the end of the world.

"Yea, I have," Maroda replies. "He was tough as nails, but I managed to beat him." He smiled. "Felt great."

"I don't doubt that," Isaaru grinned, really wishing that he could have seen that fight. "At least I have my magic. Baralai isn't good at that."

"Figures," Maroda nodded. "Neither am I."

The mention of magic reminded Isaaru of what remained behind in Zanarkand, and he groaned. "I should go back to Zanarkand soon."

Maroda got up from bed and stood beside Isaaru, "Did you forget something?"

Isaaru nodded, "Yes, I did. It could wait, but not forever."

"What is it?"

A sudden knock interrupted both men, and Isaaru felt relief, but only for a second. He knew right away who it was.

_Baralai_.

Before either brother could answer, the door slowly swung open and the Praetor stepped in the room. He shut the door with a quiet thud and leaned against it. He wasn't smiling.

Neither brother could move. Isaaru managed to hide the fact that he felt like vomiting. Maroda, however, did not fare so well. He looked ready to lose his eyes, but he was otherwise silent. Pushing himself up, Baralai walked slowly towards the two of them. He looked at Maroda.

"Leave us, please," he said, his voice perfectly soft, polite yet capable of cutting through anyone with dictation and demand.

_It's been a long time since I've heard your voice close to me. _Isaaru never took his blue eyes off of Baralai. Maroda looked at Isaaru, wondering what to do. He obviously hesitated and Isaaru could find no fault in that. But, the time had come and he knew that he had to face Baralai alone.

"Leave us," Isaaru repeated. Only then, did Maroda obey. He looked at Baralai once before exiting the room. With him gone, Isaaru could have fainted, but he didn't. He refused to. He felt himself tense as two years worth of anger and resentment came flooding back, but he wouldn't show that either. Baralai also showed nothing as he continued to move forward at a slow, leisurely pace. Isaaru moved to the side and once Baralai was close enough, he began to circle around him, his eyes scanning the young Praetor, noting everything. Baralai also circled around, his eyes doing precisely the same thing.

Had Isaaru felt more cordial, he would have commented on how flat out beautiful Baralai looked. Then again, Baralai was always beautiful and sometimes that made Isaaru seethe with a different kind of rage. Sure, it was petty, but Isaaru felt it and he couldn't help it. Thankfully, it was a small part of the many things he felt about Baralai. The silk green tunic suited him well and the silver buckled belt clasped to his waist was a perfect addition. His black pants were not baggy, but not too tight either as they flattered his finely toned body. His knee high boots were the same as what Isaaru currently wore, only Isaaru's did not have buckles.

Plus, Isaaru wore primarily white. His shirt was white, his pants were white, and his belt was white. Only his boots were black. He currently wore no jewelry, and Baralai noted it all. It must have taken ten minutes for the two men to stop gawking at what they wore, and it took even longer than that for Isaaru to finally come out swinging.

"One year ago, you told me that you should have let Auron kill me."

At first, the Praetor did not respond. He blinked, he raised his eyebrows, but he was still quiet. Isaaru was also quiet. He waited for Baralai to say something and he was willing to wait forever if he had to. Finally, Baralai glared before taking a deep breath. When he spoke, his tone was as quiet as air.

"Two years ago, you told me that I was poison. One year ago, you told me to go back to my 'wicked life'. What did you think I would do? I was tempted to strike you. Perhaps I should have."

"Your words were poison."

"They were sincere."

"Were those words sincere when you regretted saving my life?" Isaaru inquired, his voice every bit as quiet.

"I don't regret saving you."

"The last words you said to me showed otherwise."

Baralai full lips parted. "I was angry, you know that. Or have you forgotten what you said to me?"

"I haven't forgotten," Isaaru replied, his voice as quiet as Baralai's. "Have you forgotten that was a reason for my harsh words?"

"You didn't have a good reason, Isaaru," Baralai snapped. His dark eyes narrowed as he began to slowly walk around the former Summoner. "You resented me. I climbed higher in the ranks faster than you ever could. I gained the power that you had a taste of, but couldn't keep. You couldn't stand it, could you?"

Isaaru did not allow Baralai to get behind him. He too circled around the younger man. Both were slow, but sure as their eyes mirrored each other.

"What I could not stand was you thinking you ruled when you did not!" Isaaru said in almost hiss. "Did you think you could dictate to me and expect me to smile and nod? Did you think I would bow to you and obey the way I obeyed Old Yevon?" Isaaru raised his voice, but only slightly. "Did you think this? Did you even dare hope that I would become your servant?"

Baralai stopped, his black boots a contradiction to the light carpet. "I had hoped that you would be my husband."

"Your servant!"

"My husband! Goodness, Isaaru! Were you so insanely jealous of the power I gained over you that it blinded you? You resented me so much that you couldn't see beyond yourself and you wanted! What? You think I'd step aside for you!? I want Yevon to be truly new, and you would have never done that!"

"Because Yevon forbid I actually care about the organization!" Isaaru shot back.

Baralai moved back a step, his eyes wide before he glared. "What are you implying, Isaaru? Hmm? That I don't care?"

"You're smarter than that," Isaaru replied. "You should know the answer."

"Well, you're wrong. I care a great deal about Bevelle and about New Yevon! You know that!"

"I don't believe you," Isaaru whispered. "Can you tell me why I should? I watched you politely insist that you belong in the Elite Guard. That was true, I could not dispute that, but what I could dispute was your polite instance that you somehow deserved to be elevated above all others, including me. It's power you sought, but not just that. Information too. You used this place and you used others to get what it was that you wanted. It's worked with everyone, but it has not worked with me!"

"We both sought power, Isaaru," Baralai took a step forward. "Really, do you think you're so innocent? Who are you to ever judge me?"

"How about someone who's actually caring of something more than just yourself and your friends? At least I don't ever consider my own supporters sheep. At least my supporters can stand on their own!"

"Ah, yes, you're supporters, Isaaru!" Baralai exclaimed with brightening eyes. "I've heard what they said about me. How wonderful you are, how much better you are than I am, but I they all forget that they're in the minority. No matter how sizeable they may be, they are in still in the minority and you will never change that!"

"You stole people from me, Baralai!" Isaaru replied, trying not to grit his teeth. "You stole people who could have been my followers! You curried favor with people that were once on my side! I could dismiss them as weak, naive or stupid, but it's not quality that matters here, it's quantity! You took that from me! I could have been the Praetor! I should have been, but you--" Isaaru shut his mouth because if he said anything more, he might have exploded.

"You weren't entitled to those people, Isaaru! You weren't entitled to anything, not even my position!"

"Neither were you!" Isaaru spat.

Baralai held his arms out to his sides, his voice as gentle as a breeze. "But, I won them. I won it all, and it just kills you, doesn't it?"

"You don't deserve it! Even you know that."

"Perhaps I don't," Baralai answered with a shrug. "But, I'm still the Praetor. No amount of loyalty from your followers will take that away. So, you might as well work with me. If New Yevon is to stand a chance on Spira, then we need to be united under my banner and no other."

Isaaru could have just burst into flames. "You still think you're entitled to me! It's bad enough that you thought that in the past, but it's worse now! Haven't you learned how I reacted to you? Did you think that everything would just suddenly be okay?" He was loud, he knew he was, but the Bevellian walls did not have ears at this level.

"No, Isaaru," Baralai said, shaking his head. "I never thought that. You're right in that regard. I did think I was entitled to you. I thought I could just win everyone with confidence, determination and civility, but it's obvious that I couldn't. I had you once. I had you has an ally, but while I know that you wanted to gain back leadership of Bevelle, I couldn't let you do that. I needed to be the one because I know I am the one who should be. I'm the only one who can make Yevon truly new."

If Baralai thought that this would somehow placate Isaaru, he was sorely mistaken. Hands curling into fists, Isaaru replied. "I'm supposed to just accept this? I'm supposed to suddenly come under your banner because you want me to? My followers won't do that, not anymore. I know they've learned from their mistakes." Isaaru ignored Baralai's gasp of indignance. "They will not ever follow anyone but me, and should I leave, many of them will simply drop their support, which would be embarrassing to you. Some would leave, which would be worse in the eyes of Spira! If you try to kill me, you'd be torn to shreds-"

"I have no intention of hurting you, Isaaru," Baralai interrupted, his voice soft, but his eyes hard. "I wish you'd quit thinking that, but you're not going anywhere. You won't leave, Isaaru, not willingly. I made a terrible mistake when I talked Trema into forcing you out. I won't make that mistake again."

"No, you'd just hope that you find a way to put me under your thumb with your sweet little tongue! You cannot stand there with a straight face and expect me to just bow to you without question!"

Finally, Baralai snapped. Taking a step forward, he shouted. "I know you'd rather be Praetor, but you're not! What would you have me do? What is it that you expect!? Would you rather I step down!? That's not going to happen and you know it! How could I accept you in power? You think I'm horrible? You think I'm so wicked? You would have been a heavy-handed tyrant!"

Isaaru bristled at that statement. He could sworn that smoke was coming out of his ears. Before he could say anything, Baralai continued, his voice shrill with frustration and rage.

"You're far worse than I am! The only difference between you and Old Yevon is that you're slightly less disgusting!"

"How dare you!" Isaaru managed to interrupt. "How dare you say that to me!"

"I know what you did to my guards!" Baralai held his fists to his sides. "You threatened to SET THEM ON FIRE for doing their jobs!"

"I was protecting my brother. Did you think I'd stand aside and let them harm him?"

Baralai took a few deep breaths before replying in a lower voice, "All you did was prove what I think of you in power. You have no finesse, you'd rather hold to the past rather than think of the future! You accuse me of being selfish? It's odd coming from you. You have little regard for the beliefs of others. You don't know when to compromise, and you're not a tolerant person. You're just not. How can you can you consider yourself more worthy of being Praetor?"

There was truth in those words, Isaaru knew that as he lowered his head, not in submission, but in pondering. Baralai took advantage of this by taking a step closer.

"You're afraid. I know you are," he said, his voice soft like it usually was. "You think you're the only one who's ever felt betrayed?"

Isaaru snapped up, his blue eyes fixed in a glare. As he remembered how he felt while he was working with Baralai, his muscles tensed. "Do not speak to me of betrayal. How dare you speak to me of betrayal! You betrayed me when you swore that you would work with me!"

"You betrayed me when you saw fit to tear me into ribbons--TWICE! You betrayed your own beliefs by becoming a tour guide in Zanarkand!"

This time, Isaaru laughed. "Oh, that is unbelievably pathetic! I never said I would be your husband, you know that. You promised me your support, and I should have known early on that it came with the condition that I serve you when I should have been the one leading. I should have been the one who replaced Trema once he was out of the way." Before Baralai could even open his mouth, Isaaru continued. "As for Zanarkand, don't you dare even think for a moment that was betrayal. I was there to preserve it, anyone with half a brain would know that, and you would know that Zanarkand was the safest place for me. Besides, you allowed it, remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Baralai answered, the tone of his voice now mild. "I also remember that I never ever told you that I'd help you become leader."

About a minute later, Isaaru responded. "You did the second time around. When you were gone, you helped me. I served well enough while you were away. I don't blame you for being a bit apprehensive now."

"I was in the Farplane, Isaaru. Everyone should know that. Lady Yuna said so herself. She helped me, and so did my friends."

"Ah, yes that," Isaaru folded his arms around his chest. "Tell me, Baralai, did you steal that gun and try to rule the world before your friends knocked some sense into you?"

If Baralai's jaw weren't screwed on, it would have fallen at his feet. When he finally set his jaw, he glared into Isaaru's eyes. "I did not leave of my own free will. I was possessed by a pyrefly ghost named Shuyin and taken to the Farplane. You should recognize him, you saw him in the Awesome Sphere. " Baralai smiled when Isaaru gasped. "You know, the very sphere you took."

Isaaru's first instinct was to laugh in his face. Pyrefly ghost? Sure. But, he knew better than that. He knew the existence of such things. He remembered seeing it when the Den of Woe was sealed, and he remembered the young man in the Awesome Sphere. They matched. He didn't want to believe it possible, but he had no choice. His immediate thought was Baralai knowing about his taking the sphere. He sighed, turning away from Baralai's brown eyes.

"It's no surprise that you knew I did it. How long did you know?" Isaaru asked.

"When it first went missing," Baralai replied, his slender hands smoothing out his silk shirt. "I suspected you, but I said nothing. You did it for vindictive reasons, did you not?"

"Yes, I did," Isaaru admitted. "But, you have it back. Lady Yuna gave it back to New Yevon."

"Yes, she did." Baralai nodded. "You caused a lot of chaos. Unlike myself, you did it of your own volition. Do you expect to lead New Yevon acting like that?" A short-browed stare silenced Isaaru. "I would have never done something like that. Unlike you, I'd put the stability of New Yevon and of Spira first."

"You dare threaten me? Don't expect me to be impressed."

"I'm not threatening you. I can't prove you did it, and we do have the Sphere back. I just know that someone like you should not be the sole ruler of anything. Your actions have proven that." Baralai finally backed away. "I wish things could be easier between us, but I suppose I was foolish for thinking that."

"I can't just set aside how I feel," Isaaru sighed. "They run too deeply and strongly."

"I can sense that." Baralai nodded. "I truly can." He brushed past Isaaru. "I know that you're feeling many things and it probably confuses you."

Refusing to allow Baralai behind him, Isaaru tried to turn, but he stumbled forward, right into Baralai arms. He quickly moved away from the Praetor and bunched his white shirt in his hands. Isaaru could still feel the warmth of Baralai's body.

"Just leave me alone," he said, and Baralai backed away, turning away to walk towards the door.

Looking over his shoulder, Baralai said. "I'll be convening the Council tomorrow morning. I expect you to be there as my right hand man." He slipped out of the room as quietly as he came in.

Left alone, Isaaru could barely even breathe. So much was said in so little time, he thought that everything was spinning around him. Sitting on the bed, Isaaru breathed out slowly.

"Just as I thought," he said to no one. "He will go to the Healers soon. When he does, he will expect me to be there; to show me what he had gone through in hopes of gaining my sympathy. Only it won't be a calculated move. If what I think of pyrefly possession is true, then...then I..." He fell silent and fell back against the soft mattress, his red hair spreading like blood across the white sheets.

"Baralai, I..."

He closed his eyes, no longer able to even think, much less do anything else.


	12. Chain of Thoughts

_Author's Notes: About time for this one too, but chapter 12 is now done. Kind of a "resting" chapter after what happened in chapter 11. Hope this one was worth the wait too. I know some people have been waiting for an update for quite awhile! Enjoy!_

Isaaru still lay flat on his back when he uttered, "His right hand man. I can't believe that he would allow me to be his right hand..." He ran his hands through his dark red hair. His eyes were still closed but he sensed his younger brother close to him.

"Why act so surprised?" Maroda asked. "What did you expect him to do?"

"Honestly? I didn't know what to expect." Isaaru sighed for what must have been the nine hundredth time. He felt drained, completely drained and wondered if Baralai felt the same. _No, of course not. He's probably playing with Gippal while I suffer._ "All I know is that one doesn't speak to a Praetor that way and expect to be a right hand man. Unless, Baralai is playing a game of keep your friends close and your enemies closer, like I always think he's doing.." _I swear, it's slow going redundancy._

"It makes sense when you think about it."

"Ugh, that's what makes it so much worse!"

"Come on, Isaaru, what would you have done?" Maroda propped himself up by his elbow, his eyes never leaving Isaaru. "Do you really think you'd do anything different."

If Isaaru sighed anymore, he'd run out of breath, but he did it anyway. "Why not twist that knife further, Maroda?" He couldn't deny that he would have done the same thing.

"You know I'm right."

"Yes, I do." Isaaru finally opened his eyes. Bevelle looked and sounded beautiful today. The compact city even smelt beautiful as a wide variety of sandalwood, cinnamon, and fruit incense fought for dominance in the air. "It's just a question of setting aside personal feelings when faced with a competent, but helpful rival. If I were the Praetor, I think I would have taken Baralai as my right hand man; it'd be stupid not to. Sure, I'd have eyes on the back of my head, but there's no questioning his ability."

Maroda shrugged. "There's no questioning yours. What happened, Isaaru? Just tell me what he said. What did you say?"

"I...I just attacked--"

"Oh no."

"Yes." Isaaru never took his eyes off the cloudless sky. "I couldn't help it. Just seeing him brought back every negative thing I've ever felt about him. I don't know if he ever saw it coming. I really don't think he did."

"And I bet he didn't just sit there and take it, either, did he?"

Isaaru shook his head. "No."

"He didn't cry or act all hurt and wounded."

"No. He fought back, and so did I. If we were anywhere but in here, we might have come to blows."

"No way!" Maroda gasped. "You couldn't have been that bad."

"I think I was." Biting his lip, Isaaru tried to get the images out of his head. Him furious in pent up rage, Baralai eventually yelling when such a thing is usually unseemly for the soft-spoken Praetor. Then again, it was unseemly for Isaaru too. He turned to his younger brother. "For awhile, we screamed at each other. I'm surprised you didn't hear it."

"I was busy with Pacce. I stayed around the top floor, but I don't think I heard anything."

_Good_. "Where is Pacce, anyway?"

"In the next building with his friends." Maroda poked Isaaru's ribs. "Come on, I know how you can get, but I would think you would have behaved better. The two of you shouting? Even Youth Leaguers would have been more mature."

Mentioning the Youth League made Isaaru feel even sicker than he already was. He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe, but they don't have to weave and dance around each other like insects caught in a web."

"We're more open in the Youth League. No secrets."

"That's wonderful." Isaaru needed a handkerchief to wipe off the sarcasm dripping from his mouth. "That doesn't work in Bevelle."

"That's part of New Yevon's problem. Even with a new generation, the behavior is still the same."

The former Summoner buried his face in his hands while he buried himself in the plushy pillow. "You can't expect an organization with the name of Yevon on it to suddenly behave much differently as it's used to behaving. Change is slower here, you know that."

Maroda frowned. "Even with Baralai? I mean, it's obvious that he's close to Gippal. Has anyone in Bevelle mentioned any problem with him being here?"

"How would I know? I was too busy doing psychic surgery on myself to prepare for Baralai." A wave of nausea didn't stop Isaaru from suddenly sitting up. "I will say one thing though. If I were Baralai, I'd be very careful with Gippal. He's not like Rikku. She's not part of any group that can cause real damage to Bevelle, so I don't think anyone had a problem with her, and certainly not with Yuna. But, Gippal? He's only the leader of the Machine Faction."

"Everybody knows he's friends with both Nooj and Baralai. Besides, politics isn't his thing."

"No, it's not." Isaaru agreed. "If I were Gippal, I'd play both sides for supremacy." He shook his head. "He never did that, but I guess he doesn't have to."

"Gippal's not like that!" Maroda exclaimed, sounding defensive to Isaaru's ears. "I don't know him anymore than you do, but the Al Bhed don't work that way."

"That doesn't change the fact that he leads the Machine Faction." His voice was full of insistence, like someone believing that they were right, but trying to convince someone who just doesn't agree. "I can't believe how open Baralai was, both during the speech and in Bevelle. I can understand the former since what happened was generally in the heat of the moment, but the latter? I can't even begin to think of an excuse for that."

"Come on, things are still festive now." Edging closer to Isaaru, Maroda put his arm around him. "I don't think anything will happen."

Isaaru felt a little comfort now that his brother held him close. "You forget, this is Bevelle. They're going to wonder just how close the two of them are. If they're too close, it could cause a schism between those who don't care and those who care all too much."

"Isn't that what you want though?"

"Not like this. Such a schism could never be fixed. Besides, Baralai isn't stupid, far from it. I'm sure everything will be smoothed over and his relationship with Gippal will be considered a mere friendship that has nothing to do with Baralai's political life." Isaaru fell against the pillows, dragging Maroda with him. "The official New Yevon response will be mere neutrality to the Machine Faction, but the reality will something completely different." He looked back outside and saw a couple clouds meander in the sky. "Whatever the case, I'm sure that Baralai will charm his way into whatever he wants when the Council meets tomorrow."

"Don't let it affect you too much, Isaaru. Besides, you're supposed to be going to Zanarkand soon, right?"

"Ah yes," Isaaru nodded. "But, I probably won't be able to go for quite some time." He frowned. "I can't just leave now."

"Why are you going back there, anyway?"

"There's just something I need to do there, that's all." _Yes, a very big something.__Something I've wanted to do since I first went to Zanarkand._ "Don't worry too much about it. I just left something there, and I want to get it back." A lie. Isaaru knew that, but he couldn't reveal his true reasons for wanting to go back. Not now. Not for a long time.

Thankfully, Maroda didn't press the issue. "If you're going to go back, take me with you. If you can't do that, then take someone. That place is still dangerous." He got up and stretched. "Anyway, I better go get Pacce, and get something to eat. You want anything?"

Isaaru shook his head. "Maybe later."

"Okay. Get some rest, okay?"

"I will."

Once Maroda left, Isaaru tried his best to take a small nap. He still couldn't get Baralai out of his mind, but everything seemed better now. At least for awhile.

---------

Gippal looked ten thousand kinds of hot as he sat on the bed in different clothing. Judging from the disheveled blond hair, it was obvious that he had just gotten out of the shower. Gone was the purple nonsense and in was black and white. Similar to Isaaru, except Gippal's shirt was a T-shirt, his pants were black and his boots were laced. Baralai slumped forward, shutting the door behind him. Just thinking of Isaaru ruined the moment for him.

"Hey, Baralai."

"Gippal..." Baralai whispered, walking towards his best friend, and almost fell beside him, but certainly did lean in him. He didn't bother trying to hide how he felt. After all, it's Gippal. Right now, the younger man smelt like vanilla, a scent used on Baralai's soap. Just the thought of that would have usually excited Baralai, but not now. "I just want to rest on you."

"Take as long as you need." Gippal replied, holding Baralai close. "So, I gather things didn't go to well with Isaaru."

"No." Was the only answer the Praetor could utter. His throat hurt. Tea sounded like a wonderful idea, but he didn't want to get up. He just wanted to lean against Gippal.

"That's too bad." His one good eye looked at the oak doors with a predatory glint. "You want me to deal with him?"

"Please don't." Baralai pulled away. "You'll only cause more harm than good."

"If he hurt you, then I want to cause him more harm than good!"

"You can't. You..." Grabbing Gippal by the shoulders, Baralai explained gently. "I think it's important that we be careful about our relationship while we're in Bevelle. I've been careless, so I need to make sure that there isn't a panic among those who may not approve."

Of course, the young Al Bhed shook his head. "What does it matter what they think? It's common knowledge that we're friends. Our speeches in Luca kind of showed that. Everyone knows, so why hide it now?"

"I'm not saying that we should hide our friendship. I'm only saying that we should be careful about other things, like the Machine Faction itself."

Gippal gave Baralai a questioning look. "What's the point? Everyone knows we'll be working together. We can't hide that. It's too late now. We hid before, we can't do it now. You can't turn the clock back."

"I understand that, Gippal, but there are still people here who aren't so welcome to change. I have to straddle the line between them and the more progressive among us. I won't have any division in New Yevon. So, we need to pretend to be neutral, like we've always done."

"Whatever...I just hate having to be one thing on the outside and another on the inside."

Baralai understood that, but he knew Bevelle like the back of his hand, and it still had some snakes. Old snakes, but still snakes. "If we were anything like the Youth League, then this wouldn't be a problem, but we're not. I'm sorry, Gippal."

"Nah, don't be. You do what you have to, and I'll do the same, okay?"

"Of course."

Just having his best friend here made things a bit easier for the young Praetor, but it didn't change the anxiousness he felt about Isaaru and what to do with him. Then, of course, there's the fact that he did desire Isaaru and still does now. It's almost like nothing changed since their heated encounter. Both want to strangle each other, and both wish they could get past those feelings. It was like being in stasis, only the occupants are not only mobile, but throwing shit at each other and wishing they didn't. Gippal broke Baralai's chain of thoughts.

"So, what did Isaaru say to you?"

Baralai couldn't even begin to answer that question without revealing all too much, but he tried to navigate the potential maze of traps anyway. "He was harsh, but so was I. I had to be because he started it before I could do anything."

Gippal raised an eyebrow. " 'He started it' "?

"I know. I know." Baralai shook his head. "It sounds childish, but it's true."

"So, what are your plans for Isaaru?"

"He's my right hand man."

"What? How could you do that?"

"Easy. No matter our feelings, he's the best choice, and I hope that I can have some good relations with him."

"Good relations?" Gippal repeated in the manner of someone who had just heard of cocoa mixed with hot sauce. "He obviously doesn't want any with you."

"Didn't you just tell me to do what I have to do?" Baralai asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Don't tell me you have to do this."

Baralai nodded. "I do. How can I have unity on Spira if I can't make sure that New Yevon is united?"

"Good point, but from what little I've heard of Isaaru, it won't be easy."

"I know." The young Praetor grinned. "That's why I'll be needing your help."

"My help? Didn't you tell me--"

Raising a hand, Baralai silenced Gippal. "I don't mean by confronting Isaaru and making things worse, I mean that when you go back to Djose, I want you to look through the sealed records hidden there. I have faith that you'll find them."

"Ah, I get it now." Gippal smiled, his handsome face full of mischief. "You want some dirt on Isaaru! "

"You can say that. When I can, I'll look through Bevellian records, but some really nice stuff on people is sealed in Djose."

"Oh, man." Gippal's laughter was music to Baralai's ears. "Blackmail, right?"

"Mmm...not exactly." Baralai folded his hands.

"Then, what is all this for. What are you going to do?"

Baralai looked out the transparent sliding door that lead to the balcony, watching the waterfalls from the Temple roof tops. "Something I should have done a long time ago. Learn about him."


End file.
